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(J^aQQibal    ^pcl;ip^la^ce^ 


Jottings  from  the  Pacific,  No.  3. 


TWO  CANNIBAL 

ARCHIPELAGOES, 

NHW  HEBRIDES  AND  SOLOMON  GROUPS. 


BY  EA\MA  H.  ADAMS, 


Aulliui  ul  "Fiji  and  Snmoa,"  "Ti'inja  Islands  and  Other 
Gii^nips,"  "  Amoni;  liie  Nuitlu'in 
Icebergs,"  Etc. 


PACI1-"IC  PRI'SS  ri'BLISIIIxr.  CO., 

OAKLAND,    CAT,. 

San  Francisco,  New  York  ami  Lou<lon. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1890,  by 

Pacific  Press  Puhlisiiing  Company, 

In  the  Office  of  tlie  Librarian  of  Cont^ress,  at  Washington,  I).  C. 


X^KJ< 


A  ?l 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   I.      . 

Page. 

Our  Brothers  in  the  New  Hebrides        -        -        -        -        9 

CHAPTER   II. 

Teacliing,  Preaching,  and  Martyrdom        -        -        -        -  25 

CHAPTER   III. 

A  Brief  Run  about  Fate 39 

"  CHAPTER  IV. 

Still  Sailing— Aneitium,  Aniwa,  Fotuna     -        -        -        -  5S 

CHAPTER  V. 

Api,  Anibryni,  Espiritu  Santo 71 

CHAPTER  VI. 

The  Great  Volcano  on  Tanna 81 

I  CHAPTER   VII. 

3    Away  to  the  Solomon  Islands 93 

CHAPTER   VIII. 

9       The  Island  of  Guadalcanar 105 

O 

^  CHAPTER    IX. 

■*       Island  of  New  Georgia — The  Rubiana  Lagoon    -        -       116 
CHAPTER  X. 
Bougainville,  the  Shortlands,  and  Treasury  Island       -       126 

f 

"  441040 


Vlll  CONTENTS. 

m 

CHAPTER   XI. 

In  Bougainville  Strait         - 138 

CHAPTER  XII. 

St.  Christoval  and  the  Taboo-houses  of  the  Solomon 

Archipelago        - 148 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Page. 

Canoe-house  -        -        -        -        -        -  *      Frontispiece 

Mission  Premises       --------43 

Mission  Chapel      --------         4^ 

A  Village  under  Heatlienisni  -        -        -        -        -    90 

The  Same  under  Christianity        -----  gi 


JOTTINGS   FROM  THE  PACIFIC. 


7^0   (?ar)r)ibal   /^pcl)ip^la^o^s. 
CHAPTER  I. 

OUR  BROTHERS  IX  THE  NEW  HEBRIDES. 

vOM  K  two  months  ago  the  reader 
and  the  author  of  this  Httle  vol- 
^  lime  were  studying  the  won- 
derful stone  images  on  Easter 
Island,  which  lies  in  what  is 
*J^  known  as  Humboldt's  Cold 
TjM,  Current,  twent}'-three  huntlred 
miles  west  of  Chile,  South 
America.  From  that  little  pearl  in  the  Pacific  to 
the  Solomon  Archipelago,  which  adorns  the  ocean 
some  five  hundred  miles  east  of  New  Guinea,  is  a 
long  distance.  We  propose  to  make  the  trip,  how- 
ever, and  shall  again  be  glad  of  x'our  compan)'. 
But  having  accomplished  it,  we  shall  be  farther 
than  ever  from  the  California  coast.  .\s  nou  are 
aware,  the  journey  will  in\-ol\e  several  changes  of 
craft.  The  last  change  will  be  made  at  Gloa  Bay, 
island  of  Kand.uu,  k'iji. 

I'rom  k'iji  tt)  the  Solomon   Isles  our  course  will 

(9) 


lO  TWO    CANNIBAL    ARCHIPEI.AGOES. 

be  toward  the  northwest.  The  route  hes  directly 
through  the  New  Hebrides,  a  group  of  islands  in 
which,  for  several  reasons,  we  have  been  great!}-  in- 
terested. It  best  meets  the  object  we  have  in  \iew 
to  be  set  down  uponTanna,  the  southernmost  large 
island  of  the  group  except  Ancitium.  To  call 
there  will  compel  our  captain  to  depart  considera- 
bly from  his  course,  but  he  delights  to  be  obliging, 
and  we  may,  therefore,  conclude  that  we  shall  enter 
the  New  Hebrides  at  Tanna.  Our  object  is  not 
only  to  see  these  beautiful  islands,  but  also  to  learn 
how  their  so  recently  cannibalistic  inhabitants  live. 

A  week's  sailing,  n)'ing  along  before  the  brisk 
trade  wind,  will  show  us  Tanna  rising  grandly  out 
of  the  sea.  While  we  are  speeding  on  our  way,  we 
can  take  time  to  gain  some  general  facts  pertaining 
to  the  group. 

Speaking  not  xcr)-  exactly,  the  New  Hebrides 
lie  between  five  and  six  hundred  miles  west  of  Fiji. 
They  form  a  chain  of  twelve  large  islands,  with  some 
twenty  smaller  ones  scattered  about  irregularly,  as 
if  the  hand  which  dropped  them  were  not  x'cry  par- 
ticular just  where  the  little  gems  might  fill.  The 
archi[)eiago  extends  from  southeast  to  northwest,  a 
distance  of  o\er  six  hundred  miles,  and  in  remarka- 
bly regular  order  as  to  the  larger  islands.  The  best 
known  of  the  group  are  Api,  Efate,  Tanna,  Am- 
br\'m,  Santa  Cruz,  Aneitium,  Erromanga,  and  Es- 
piritu  .Santo. 

The   total  area   of  the    New   Hebrides    is   about 


OUR    BROTHERS    IM    THE    NEW    HEBRIDES.  II 

thirty-five  hundred  square  miles.  Nearly  three 
hundred  years  ago,  De  Quires,  a  bold  Spanish  sailor, 
discovered  Espiritu  Santo,  the  largest,  and  to-day 
least  known,  of  the  group,  and  described  it  as  a 
country  "rich  in  gold,  sil\cr,  and  fragrant  trees." 
In  1777,  nearl)'  two  hundred  }-ears  after  De  Quiros, 
came  Captain  Cook,  who  discovered  ICfate  or  Fate, 
as  it  is  usuall)'  written.  U[)on  this  beautiful  island 
he  bestowed  the  ra.sping  name  of  Sandwich,  because 
a  man  of  that  name  was  then  lord  of  the  English 
Board  of  Admiralty.  Efate  is  the  fourth  large 
islantl  from  the  southern  end  of  the  Xew  Hebrides. 
The  names  of  other  islands,  as  Santa  Cruz,  I^spiritu 
Santo,  and  perhajjs  W'hitsun  (Whitsuntide),  intlicate 
that  the  acKenturous  S[)aniar(ls  ha\c  visited  the 
group  since  De  Quiros'  da)'. 

The  total  poi)ulati(>n  of  the  Xew  Hebrides  is  es- 
timateil  to  be  nearly  two  hundred  and  fift)' thousand. 
The  Spaniards  represented  the  islands  as  fiirls' 
teeming  with  people  when  discovered  by  them.  The 
inhabitants  arc  reported  to  be  now  rapidly  d}ing  off 
This  is  but  a  repetition  of  the  melancholy  stor)' 
which  we  ha\e  heard  throughout  all  Polynesia. 
Tribal  wars,  the  introduction  of  new  and  fatal  dis- 
eases, and  the  prevailing  labor  traffic  of  the  Pacific, 
are  the  three  causes  assigned  for  the  large  death 
rate  in  the  New  I  lebrides.  The  possession  of  modern 
fire-arms  may  be  given  as  a  fourth  reason  for  their 
thinned  ranks.  A  Snider  rifle  and  a  revolver  loadetl 
with  six  bullets  are  more  effecti\e  weapons  for  de- 


12  TWO    CANNIBAL    ARCHIPELAGOES. 

stroying  people  than  are  a  single  bow  and  a  quiver 
of  arrows. 

Fifty  )'ears  ago  the  inhabitants  of  the  New  Heb- 
rides were  all  greedy  cannibals,  and  from  that  time 
to  the  present  they  have  banqueted  more  or  less 
upon  human  flesh.  However,  on  some  of  the  isl- 
ands missionary  influence  has  greatly  modified  the 
horrible  practice.  Still,  if  all  the  tales  we  have 
heard  are  true,  before  the  appetite  for  human  flesh 
will  cease,  more  than  one  generation  of  the  Heb- 
rideans  must  pass  away. 

In  form  of  government  the  New  Hebrides  are  in- 
dependent, not  being  a  colonial  possession  of  any 
countiy.  Neither  are  they  ruled  by  a  native  king, 
as  are  the  Tongan  and  Samoan  groups.  Many  of 
the  tribes  are  governed  by  their  own  chieftains,  who 
are  either  hereditary  rulers,  or  have  acquired  au- 
thority by  their  own  prowess.  For  some  years  past 
France  and  England  have  been  rivals  in  their  ef- 
forts to  obtain  supremac)'  in  this  group.  France 
has  been  anxious  to  anne.x  the  islands  to  her  penal 
colony.  New  Caledonia,  and,  through  the  New  Heb- 
rides Conimercial  Conip.un',  has  put  forth  great 
endeavors  to  secure  a  business  foothold  on  several 
of  them.  She  regards  this  as  the  most  effectixe 
step  toward  political  control.  On  these  islands  the 
New  Hebrides  Company  has  established  large 
houses  f  )r  the  manufacture  of  copra,  and  thus  has 
developed  the  only  trade  with  the  outside  world 
which  the)'  now  possess.     This  is  confined  to  the 


OUR    BROTHERS    IX    THE    NEW    HEBRIDES.  1 3 

exportation  of  copra  aiul  arrowroot,  the  manufact- 
ure of  whicli  forms  the  chief  pursuit  of  the  people. 
In  exchanije  for  these  articles  the  natives  obtain  the 
tobacco  which  they  so  much  prize,  and  the  few 
other  simple  articles  they  require. 

England  has  gained  her  strength  in  the  islands  in 
quite  another  way.  Nearly  half  a  century  ago, 
English  missionaries  from  Nov^a  Scotia  began  to 
labor  in  the  group.  Step  by  step  they  have  ac- 
quired other  influence  than  that  of  mere  religious 
teachers.  While  probably  not  at  all  aiming  at  a 
union  of  Church  and  State,  or  at  the  exercise  of  buth 
civil  and  religious  authority,  they  have  naturally 
taken  a  lively  interest  in  whatever  concerns  the  wel- 
fare of  the  people — simply  wild  children  of  nature 
— under  their  charge.  Consequently  they  care 
much  which  nation  gets  the  upper  hand  in  the 
group.  Fortunately  for  their  hoj)cs,  the  mission 
stations  of  the  Nova  Scotians  are  as  numerous  as 
are  the  copra  establishments  of  the  French.  Ikit 
while  the  latter  apjjear  lo  lea\e  the  teachers  wholly- 
undisturbed  in  their  work,  the  missionaries  cxteiul 
no  welcome  to  the  Franks,  lest  the  tloing  so  should 
invite  Romish  priests — the  Marist  Fathers — to  the 
field. 

Meanwhile,  vigorous  annexation  schemes  are 
brewing  in  both  countries,  and  each  is  plaxing  for 
the  good-will  of  the  nati\es.  Not  long  ago  a  test 
of  the  annexation  sentiment  was  matle  on  se\-eral 
of  the  principal   islands,  through  an  emissary  sent 


14  TWO    CANNIBAL    ARCHIPELAGOES. 

thither  lis  a  representative  of  an  Austrahan  news- 
paper. He  was  a  man  of  \ery  pleasing  address, 
and  an  accompHshed  diplomat.  We  cannot  here 
enter  into  the  details  of  his  mission.  Let  it  suffice 
to  say  that  he  managed  to  have  the  leading  chiefs 
called  together  at  various  points,  and  then  explained 
to  them  the  situation  of  affairs  in  the  islands,  with 
resj^ect  to  France  and  England,  and  invited  them  to 
express  their  preferences  in  the  case. 

As  he  hoped,  probably,  almost  to  a  man  they 
preferred  the  sovereignty  of  "Big  Lady" — Queen 
Victoria — to  the  sway  of  the  polite  "Man-a-wce- 
wee" — the  man  who  says  "  oui,  oui" — meaning  the 
president  of  the  French.  As  a  matter  of  course,  the 
envoy  returned  to  Australia  firmly  convinced  that  a 
closer  union  of  the  New  Hebrides  with  Her  Majes- 
ty's colonial  possessions  in  the  South  Pacific  would 
be  a  very  good  thing  for  the  former.  Thus  matters 
now  stand,  both  nations  continuing  to  respect  the  in- 
cic[)cndence  of  the  islands.  Meanwhile,  on  several  c;f 
the  group,  the  natives  improve  opportunities  of  kill- 
ing and  eating  their  fellow-men,  whether  white  or 
colored. 

In  structure,  the  New  Hebrides  are  both  vol- 
canic and  coralline.  Living  volcanoes  exist  on  Api, 
Tanna,  and  perhaps  other  islands  of  the  group. 
Lieutenant  Meade,  of  the  Ro\al  Navy,  who  was  at 
Api  in  1861,  claims  that  there  are  no  true  barrier 
reefs  in  the  New  Hebrides,  all  the  labor  of  the  busy 
coral  insect  beint?;  devoted  to  buildinLf  narrow  fring- 


OUR    BROTHERS    IX    Till-:   NKW    IIKBRIDES.  1 5 

ing  reefs.  A  distinj^uishing  feature  of  these  reefs  is 
their  extreme  flatness.  This  indicates  that,  in  the 
New  Hebrides,  at  least,  the  httlc  toilers  build,  not 
upward,  as  in  most  portions  of  the  Pacific,  but  out- 
ward into  the  water.  This  course  is  supposed  to  be 
owing  to  the  shallowness  of  the  water  over  the 
foundations  upon  which  they  rear  their  wonderful 
structures.  In  the  xolume  entitled  "I'iji  and  Sa- 
moa," a  chapter  is  devoted  to  the  work  of  these 
curious  architects,  therefore  it  need  not  here  be 
considered.  W'e  may  refer  to  it  incidentalK',  as  we 
write  of  the  separate  islands. 

"How  does  Tanna  look?"  is  a  question  }-ou  have 
asked  frequently  during  our  long  voyage.  Your 
query  may  now  be  answered,  for  the  land  which 
you  sec  a  little  to  the  southwest  of  us  is  Tanna. 
Mark  how  its  mountains  lift  their  heads.  The 
great  mass  of  earth,  and  stone,  and  trees  seems  to 
rest  only  upon  water,  so  directl}'  does  the  island 
rise  from  the  surface  of  the  ocean.  The  whole  isl- 
and, you  observe,  seems  to  be  girdled  w  ith  foam. 
That  column  of  smoke  curling  upward  over  a  sin- 
gle cone  issues  from  Tanna's  great  volcano, 
Yasur.  Were  we  approaching  the  island  by  night, 
the  lurid  light  of  Yasur,  reflected  against  the  sky, 
would,  in  a  sense,  render  both  chart  and  c<»mpass 
useless.  The  vivid  glow  would  tell  us  where  we 
are.  Should  this  obliging  breeze  continue,  we  shall 
soon  learn  w  hether  there  is  much  to  admire  in  the 
Tannese  branch  of  our  race. 


l6  TWO    CANNIHAL    ARCHIPELAGOES. 

Happily  the  sun  is  still  in  the  east.  Notice  how 
it  lights  up  the  deep  ravines  and  gorges,  how  it 
brings  out  the  wa\  ing  palms,  liow  it  re\'eals  the 
wealth  of  vegetation  over  the  liills  and  in  the  val- 
leys. We  are  somewhat  familiar  with  the  forest  gar- 
niture of  the  Pacific,  yet  in  Melanesia  we  shall  find 
some  new  and  strange  vines  and  trees. 

It  has  been  said  that  Tanna  contains  scarcely  a 
mile  of  sandy  beach  which  has  not  been  stained 
with  the  blood  of  \\hite  men  slain  b\' its  inhabitants. 
Man}-  of  them  have  been  killed  solely  to  be  eaten, 
and  a  few  of  them  because  they  became  great  fa- 
vorites of  the  dusk}'  natives,  who  could  not  bear  to 
see  them  sail  out  of  their  sight  forever.  All  such 
persons  they  kindl}-  buried,  and  in  due  form  mourned 
over  them.  Let  us  hope  we  shall  escape  the  af- 
fection which  can  find  satisfaction  only  in  taking  our 
lives.  Our  captain  asserts  that  more  white  men 
have  lost  their  lives  on  Tanna  than  on  any  other 
island  of  the  South  Pacific.  This  is  a  strong  state- 
ment, which  we  ha\c  no  means  of  verif}ing. 

Mr.  Julian  Thomas,  who,  with  e\er}'  ficulty  wide- 
awake, s[)ent  some  weeks  upon  the  island  in  1885, 
thus  wrote  of  the  savage  Tamiese.  We  gi\e  but 
the  substance  of  his  words:  Plantations  had  to  be 
given  up,  trading  and  missionary  stations  had  to  be 
abandoned,  on  account  of  the  ferocity  of  the  peo- 
ple. Captain  McLeod  had, at  onetime,  a  plantation 
near  l-51ack  Heath.  He  ^\cll  understood  the  ways 
of  the    natives.     Being  obstinate  and    courageous, 


OUR  BROTHERS  IN  THE  NEW  HEBRIDES.     IJ 

he  was  not  easily  frightened,  yet  the  Tannese  were 
too  much  for  him.  lioth  himself  an^  his  hands 
carried  rifles  as  they  went  to  plow,  to  frighten  the 
natives.  Otherwise  the  latter  would  have  over- 
powered them  by  sheer  force  of  numbers.  The 
life  finally  became  too  perilous,  and  he  gave  it  up. 
In  those  days  the  Tannese  were  di\ided  into  scores 
of  small  tribes.  They  were  jealous,  revengeful, 
lovers  of  blood,  always  quarreling,  and  had  less 
regard  for  human  life  than  any  other  people  of  the 
South  Pacific.  I'.ach  tribe  gave  all  the  others  credit 
for  being  cannibals. 

But  here  we  are  trjing  to  twist  into  Port  Resolu- 
tion. It  was  in  the  good  ship  Resolution  that  Cap- 
tain Cook  cruised  over  all  these  seas  one  hundred 
and  thirteen  j'cars  ago.  You  now  perceive  how 
this  harbor  got  its  name.  The  captain  brought  his 
ship  into  this  port — eas)-  of  entrance  then — and  gave 
the  place  the  name  of  the  vessel  in  which  he  made 
the  circuit  of  the  world. 

In  1878  a  great  earthquake  occurred  in  this  re- 
gion, which  was  followed  by  a  might)'  tidal  wave. 
The  shore  of  Tanna  was  then  uplifted,  as  were  also 
the  rocks  on  one  sitle  of  the  passage  leading  into 
this  harbor.  These  were  once  wholly  submerged, 
but  now  they  stantl  from  fort\'  to  fifty  feet  out  of 
the  water.  A  san<i  bar  then  began  to  form,  and 
ever)'  )'ear  the  entrance  to  Port  Resolution  becomes 
more  difficult.  That  earthquake  is  said  to  ha\c" 
been  caused  by  an  unusu.il  cjuietness  on  the  part  of 
2 


l8        TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

YasLir,  which  is  supposed  to  act  as  a  vent  to  fires  in 
tile  licart  fif  the  earth.  If  so,  some  future  shunber- 
ing  of  the  volcano  ma)-  close  the  harbor  altogether. 

Port  Resolution  is  very  unlike  the  noble  harbor 
of  Vanua-Levu,  Fiji,  yet  it  is  an  attractive  anchorage. 
It  is  in  the  form  of  a  half-circle.  The  ricli  vegeta- 
tion of  the  island  crowds  down  to  the  very  edge  of 
the  water.  Beyond  this  rise  the  graceful  hills. 
Hut  o\er  the  entire  scene  spreads  the  smoke  of  Va- 
sur,  itself  an  object  of  interest  to  every  visitor  to 
the  group.  As  we  glide  in  and  come  to  anchor, 
canoes  dart  out  from  the  shore  on  each  side.  There 
are  rifles  in  every  one  of  them.  That  means  that 
the  natives  know  how  to  use  fire-arms  as  well  as 
oars,  and  will  use  them  should  occasion  arise.  The 
men  are  naked  except  a  baiul  aljout  the  loins.  The 
paint  on  their  faces  adds  to  their  savage  aspect. 
Some  of  the  canoes  swept  out  from  the  little  village 
just  below  the  mission  premises,  which  appear  amid 
the  green  trees.  "  Many  of  the  men,"  the  captain  re- 
marks, "have  worked  in  Fiji  and  Australia,  and  are 
regarded  as  among  the  best  laborers  of  the  south 
seas." 

But  wh}-  does  e\ery  man  come  with  his  rifle 
loaded?  We  can  think  of  but  two  reasons  for  the 
ste[).  h'irst,  the  labor-recruiting  business,  carried  ( )n 
extensively  in  these  seas,  is  not  alwa\'s  conducted 
strictl}'  in  accordance  with  the  principles  of  the 
golden  rule.  In  the  estimation  of  some  recruit- 
ing agents,  the  lives  of  these  men  are  of  no  account 


OUR    liROTHERS    IN    THE    NEW    HEBRIDES.  I9 

beyond  their  mere  nionc}-  \  aluc.  For  this  reason  it 
has  sometimes  been  necessary  for  them  to  defend 
themselves.  Formerly  they  had  not  the  means  to 
do  so.  But  now,  with  a  rifle  in  his  hand,  the  Tanna 
man  is  protected.  Second,  these  laborers  are  usually 
emploxx'd  for  a  term  of  three  years.  That  lcni:[th  of 
time,  under  the  circumstances,  is  hardly  sufficient 
to  chan<^e  their  sa\age  nature,  e\cn  if  it  h.as  been 
spent  in  Queensland,  or  in  beautiful  I'iji,  itself  now 
barely  emerged  from  cannibalism.  No  sooner, 
therefore,  do  they  return  to  their  native  shores  than 
most  of  them  resume  their  heathen  customs  and 
their  tribal  dislikes.  Their  old  feuds  are  revived, 
and  again  their  fire-arms  become  useful  to  them.  A 
Snider  rifle,  therefore,  is  an  article  the  Tannese  la- 
borer is  sure  to  possess  on  comi)lcting  liis  term  of 
service.  Moreover,  a  Tanna  man  is  by  nature  a 
fighter.  It  is  a  pleasure  to  him  to  snuff  out  human 
lives.     That  has  been  iiis  pastime  for  centuries. 

But  we  ha\e  stra)ed  from  Port  Resolution.  A 
half  dozen  native  villages  grace  the  curving  shore. 
We  make  our  landing  in  the  morning,  meeting  with 
no  such  welcome  as  upon  some  islands  in  the  Her- 
vey  group.  The  men  gather  about,  armed  with 
rifle  and  cartridge-box,  and  gaze  at  us  wonderingly. 
Even  young  lads  have  weajions  in  their  hands.  The 
women,  who  watch  us  silently,  are  motlestly  clad  in 
skirts  of  grass,  thickly  woven,  and  reaching  to  the 
ankles.  They  are  heavy-looking  garments,  and 
must  impede  walking.     Those  worn  by  the  young 


20  TWO   CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

girls  are  shorter  and  more  comfortable.  Of  these 
people  a  traveler  has  written  :  They  impress  me  as 
persons  whose  chests  are  contracted.  Even  the 
youth  and  boys  have  a  consumptive  look.  One  very 
decent-looking  man,  a  striking  exception  to  all  tlie 
others,  came  on  board  our  vessel,  desiring  to  ship 
to  Noumea.  Both  he  and  his  wife  had  served 
in  Queensland.  The  latter  was  now  very  ill,  and 
wished  to  li\e  where  better  food  could  be  obtained. 
After  the  excellent  fare  in  the  colonies,  neither  of 
them  could  subsist  solely  on  yams  and  taro.  The 
man  was  engaged  by  the  captain,  at  three  pounds  a 
month,  and  a  passage  for  his  wife  to  Noumea. 

The  domestic  animals  in  Tanna  are  the  cat,  dog, 
and  pig.  The  natives  are  not  only  kind  to  these 
creatures,  but  arc  ver)-  fond  of  ihcm.  Next  to  hu- 
man llcsh,  i)ork  is  the  Tanna  man's  choice  of  meats. 
Dog  flesh  follows,  and  he  has  no  objection  to  that 
of  "i)ussi,"  the  ranncsc  name  for  cat.  The  native 
women  tend  pigs  as  fondly  as  they  do  babies. 
Cats  and  dogs  also  are  petted  and  nursed  by  them. 
Some  time  ago  the  trader  who  owns  this  dilapi- 
dated dwelling  which  we  thought  looked  so  prett)- 
from  the  deck  of  the  vessel,  j^aid  ten  cocoanuts  for 
a  "pussi."  Immediately  there  ensued  a  iiot  dispute 
between  his  four  "hantls"  as  to  which  should  have 
guardianship  over  the  little  (luailruped.  To  settle 
the  matter  "pussi"  was  deli\eretl  to  the  cook,  a 
woman  whose  homeliness  was  fearful,  but  whose 
tenderness  of  heart  led    her   to  sleep  every  night 


OL'K    UKOTHKKS    IN    TIIK    NKW    HEBRIDES.  2  1 

with  the  furry  treasure  in  her  arnis.  Afterward 
each  of  the  four  youn<^  men  became  the  owner  of  a 
kitten,  of  the  bright  qualities  of  which  they  were  as 
proud  as  are  mothers  of  their  babies. 

None  of  these  youni;  nun  were  Tanncse,  but 
were  from  other  islands  of  the  group.  Their  em- 
phn'cr  was  an  unusually  kind  master,  and  they 
were  remarkably  faithful  laborers.  They  were 
working  out  their  first  three  )ears  in  a  copra- 
making  establishment,  and  did  their  work  well, 
willingly,  and  obligingl)-.  They  were  ne\er  over- 
worked, were  plentifully  fed  on  jams  and  taro, 
their  native  diet,  and  were  also  supplied  with  rice,  for 
its  strength-giving  quality.  Moreover,  working  as 
they  did  all  d.iy  among  the  cocoanuts,  hunger  was 
out  of  the  (piestion,  as,  also,  was  thirst,  since  the 
thousands  of  ct)Coanuts  broken  b\-  them  furnislud 
an  abundance  of  delicious  drink.  It  lueil  h.irdly 
be  remarked  that  these  young  men  seldom  drank 
other  beverages.  It  occurs  to  us  that  making 
copra  must  be  moral!)'  a  much  more  wholes(»me 
occupation  than   brewing  beer  or  distilling  uhiskw 

Copra  is  saitl  to  be  the  only  article  exported 
from  Tanna,  except  sulphur,  which  is  shi|)peil  in 
limited  quantities  from  the  deposits  around  the 
volcano.  An  energetic  laborer  can  jjrepare  one 
ton  of  copra  in  a  month.  Copra  manufacture  is  a 
profitable  cmploNiiunt,  if  the  trader  be  steady  and 
enterprising.  But  the  life  a  white  man  li\es  on 
any    of    these    wikl     iskuuls     is    most     unen\iable. 


22        TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

Fevers  are  ever  on  the  watch  to  make  him  their 
victim,  and  the  natives  are  on  the  alert  to  do  the 
same  thing.  A  deadly  weapon  must  be  his  con- 
stant companion.  Sometimes  he  does  not  meet  a 
w^hite  person  for  months.  Unless  he  guards  him- 
self ceaselessly,  constant  trading  with  his  inferiors 
hardens  his  nature.  His  only  compensations  are 
the  money  he  makes  and  the  easy  life  he  leads. 

In  the  little  volume  on  Fiji  and  Samoa  will  be 
found  a  description  of  copra,  its  manufacture,  uses, 
and  markets,  and  we  take  space  here  only  to  say 
that  copra  is  simply  dried  cocoanut,  and  that  from 
copra  is  manufactured  a  lubricating  oil  which  is  a 
valuabje  article  of  commerce.  The  drj-ing  of  the 
cocoanut  is  effected  in  two  ways.  The  usual 
mode  is  to  remove  the  husk,  break  the  nut  in 
halves,  throw  out  the  water,  and  place  the  halves  in 
the  sun  to  dry.  If  the  weather  be  favorable,  the 
process  is  accomplished  in  three  days,  but  each 
night  the  fruit  must  be  placed  under  shelter.  A 
better  method  is  to  dry  the  nut  without  breaking, 
stacking  them  in  sheds  erected  for  the  purpose,  and 
upon  a  staging  raised  slightly  above  the  ground, 
to  prevent  their  growing.  In  three  months  the 
milk  will  be  evaporated  and  the  nut  will  then  keep 
forever,  in  an\'  climate. 

We  append  an  abbreviated  sketch,  from  another 
pen,  of  a  )-oung  Norwegian  who,  not  long  ago,  set- 
tled upon  Tanna,  to  trade  in  copra.  We  fear  tiiat 
not  all  t)f  his  class  have  been  blessed  with  so  excel- 


OUR    BROTHERS    IN    THE    NEW    HEBRIDES  27 

lent  an  carl)-  training.  "  The  young  man  was  twenty- 
five,  perhaps.  He  had  first  been  a  sailor,  and  then 
the  mate  of  a  Norwegian  ship.  Four  years  before  he 
came  to  Tanna  he  had  been  laid  up  for  weeks  in  a 
hospital  at  Sydney,  having  been  injured  on  board 
his  ship.  Thence  he  drifted  to  New  Caledonia, 
where  he  became  the  mate  of  a  vessel,  and  en- 
gaged in  the  labor  traffic  of  the  Western  Pacific. 
Finally  he  settled  upon  Tanna. 

"  He  was  a  handsome  Norwegian,  well-bred,  and 
had  been  carefully  nurtured  by  a  Christian  mother. 
One  would  hardly  have  expected  to  find  a  Bible 
and  a  prayer  book  in  the  home  of  a  bachelor  copra 
trader,  yet  here  they  were,  near  the  cot  on  which 
he  slept.  He  often  talked  of  his  early  home  in 
the  valley  near  Christiania,  of  the  merry  winter 
evenings  spent  in  the  country  homes,  and  of  the 
long  sleigh  rides  homeward.  The  young  man  was 
just  in  his  dealings  with  the  natives,  and  for  his 
soul's  sake  I  hoped  he  would  continue  to  be  so, 
aiul  that  the  desire  for  profit  woukl  not  enter  his 
heart,  tempting  him  to  pay  less  for  cocoanuts,  and 
thus  opening  the  way  for  fiery  disputes  and  a  bullet 
through  his  brain." 

Now  it  is  night.  Every  detail  of  the  landscape 
on  Tanna  is  hidden  from  our  view.  The  hills, 
vales,  and  palm  groves  are  toned  down  to  an  e\en, 
dull  green.  Xow  turn  your  CN^es  towartl  \'asui. 
Its  curling  column  of  smoke  glows  like  fire,  not 
steadily,  but   fitfully,  like  the  variable   stars   in  the 


24        TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

heavens,  now  blazing  brilliantly,  and  again  gleam- 
ing softly  for  a  while.  You  hear  a  muffled  explo- 
sion in  its  profound  depths.  A  suppressed  roar 
follows.  Then  into  the  air  leap  flames  and  red-hot 
stones.  The  latter  usually  drop  back  heavily  into 
the  fiery  crater. 

The  sight  is  magnificent,  and  never  to  be  for- 
gotten. Were  we  in  the  direction  from  which  the 
wind  blows,  we  should  perceive  a  strong  odor  of 
sulphur,  and  not  unlikely  should  be  .sprinkled 
thickly  with  fine  ashes.  One  has  the  feeling  that 
here  the  earth  has  not  cooled  off  to  so  f^reat  a 
depth  as  in  our  chillier  latitude,  and  not  very  great 
would  be  our  surprise  should  the  crust  open  and 
let  us  drop  into  the  fiery  abyss  from  which  come 
the  hot  stones.  We  are  thankful  that  a  grand 
safety-valve,  like  Yasur,  exists  in  the  New  Heb- 
rides. 


CHAPTER  II. 

TEACHING,  PREACHING,  AND  MARTYRDOM. 

I  IK  year  1839  witnessed  the  first  attempt  to 
carry  the  gospel  to  the  New  Hebrides. 
The  effort  was  made  by  the  Rev.  John 
Williams,  whom  the  missionaries  of  the  south  seas 
delight  to  call  the  "Apostle  of  Polynesia."  Mr. 
Williams  wished  to  locate  a  mission  station  on  the 
island  of  Erromanga,  the  first  large  island  north  of 
Tanna.  Its  inhabitants  were  cannibals  of  the  most 
ferocious  type,  and  had  been  guilty  of  the  greatest 
atrocities  toward  white  men.  Of  these  flagrant 
deeds  Mr.  Williams  was  well  informed,  but  he  be- 
lieved that  the  truth  of  God  had  power  to  change 
the  savage  Tannese  into  men  of  peace.  He  had 
witnessed  its  effects  on  lovely  Rarotonga.  He  had 
seen  its  triumphs  among  the  gentle  Samoans,  and 
these  successes  had  set  his  heart  ablaze  with  desire 
to  carry  that  truth  to  all  Polynesia. 

Mr.  Williams  paid  a  visit  to  luigland.  Tiiere  he 
published  a  book  entitled  "  Missionary  iMiteq^rises 
in  the  South  Seas."  Great  was  the  sensation  cre- 
ated by  the  work.  An  innnense  number  of  copies 
were  sold.  Titled  people,  high  ecclesiastics,  and 
the  rank  and  file  of  the  church  read  it.     During 

(25) 


26  TWO    CANNIKAL   AKCIIII'KLAGOES. 

this  visit  ICnj^dand  honored  Mr.  WilHams  a,s  a  most 
worthy  son.  In  time  he  sailed  attain  for  Polynesia, 
bearini;  the  contributions,  and  followed  by  the 
prayers,  of  his  many  friends.  Reaching  his  former 
field,  lie  immediately  planned  a  trip  to  the  New 
Hebrides,  saying.  "I  cannot  content  myself  within 
a  single  coral  reef" 

Therefore,  accompanied  b}-  twelve  native  teach- 
ers, he  sailed  for  this  group  in  1839.  As  the  Cam- 
den— the  vessel  on  which  they  were  passengers — 
approached  the  islands,  Mr.  Williams  became  very^ 
solicitous  as  to  whether  the  natives  would  recei\e 
tlicni  kindly.  The  captain  first  touched  at  r\)tuna. 
an  island  at  the  southern  extremity  of  the  New 
Hebrides,  a  mass  of  rock  fifteen  miles  in  circum- 
ference and  towering  two  thousand  feet  above  the 
sea.  Fotuna  appeared  to  be  a  healthy  spot,  and  the 
inhabitants  were  friendly.  They  were  the  descend- 
ants of  a  canoeful  of  people,  who,  generations  be- 
fore, had  drifted  in  a  storm  from  distant  Tonga. 
The  island  then  seemed  to  offer  no  facilties  for  set- 
tling his  teachers,  but  it  was  occupied  three  years 
later,  as  we  shall  see  further  on  in  this  narrative. 

It  was  thought  tiiat  Tanna  i)r<)mised  a  better 
field.  Therefore,  the  little  party  came  on  north, 
and  soon  sailed  into  Port  Resolution.  The  chief; 
whom  they  met,  promisetl  protection  to  the  Samoan 
teachers,  and  three  of  them  were  left  to  begin  the 
great  work  of  making  Christ  and  his  mission 
known  to  the  man-eating  Tannese.     Mr.  Williams 


TEACHING,    rKEACIIINT,,    AM)    MAKTVKDOM.         2/ 

then  passed  on  to  Mnonian^M.  On  No\cmbcr  29, 
1839,  he  landed  at  Dillon  Ha)-,  acconijxiincd  by 
Captain  Morc^an,  a  Mr.  Cunniiv^hani,  and  a  j'oung 
man  named  Harris,  who  was  thinkin<^  serious!}- of 
giving  his  hfe  to  missionar)-  w<iik. 

A  number  of  natives  met  tiiem  at  the  shore,  and 
appeared  to  welcome  them.  Unwisel}',  the  gentle- 
men started  to  accompany  them  inland.  The)'  had 
proceeded  but  a  little  distance  when,  suddenK".  their 
dusky  attendants  showed  unmistakable  signs  of 
hostility.  Instanth'  the  strangers  sought  their 
boats.  The  captain  and  Mr.  Cunningham  being 
nearest  the  shore,  reached  theirs,  but  (juickl)-  Mr. 
Harris  received  a  terrific  blow,  and  fell  into  the  little 
stream  they  were  ascending,  and  thus  ga\e  liis  life 
to  the  cause  of  missions.  Mr.  Williams  gained  the 
shore,  but  was  laid  prostrate  by  a  club  before  he 
could  enter  his  boat.  The  captain  and  Mr.  Cun- 
ningham pulled  for  their  lives,  but  saw  both  the 
fallen  men  put  to  death,  and  their  bodies  hurrietlly 
dragged  out  of  sight.  It  was  supposed  they  fur- 
nished a  feast  for  the  rapacious  natives.  I'poii  the 
return  of  the  Camden  to  .S.imoa,  great  was  the  lam- 
entation over  the  tieath  of  Mr.  Williams.  Through- 
out the  group  was  heard  the  thrilling  lament. itioii : 
"Aue  Williams!  aue  tawal"  Alas.  W'illiamsl  alas, 
our  father! 

NotuithslaiKJing.  those  contlucling  the  mission 
at  Samoa  immediately  resolved  to  repe.it  the  attempt 
to  carr\'  the  gospel  to  the  cruel  ICrromangans.    The 


25    .  TWO    CANNIBAL    ARCHIPELAGOES. 

Rev.  Mr.  Heath  offered  to  raise  the  fallen  standard, 
provided,  should  he  too  perish,  another  of  their 
number  would  follow  and  hold  aloft  the  colors. 
Six  months  after  Mr.  Williams  was  slain,  Mr.  Heath 
landed  upon  the  island  with  two  heroic  Samoan 
teachers,  who  at  once  began  teaching  the  New 
Testament  to  the  fierce  natives.  A  year  afterward 
—  1 84 1 — the  English  mission  ship  called  at  Erro- 
manga  on  her  way  to  Britain.  On  board  was  the 
wife  of  the  lamented  Williams,  returning  to  her 
home.  The  ca})tain  found  the  Samoan  teachers 
alixe,  indeed,  but  they  hatl  endured  sufferings  and 
hardshi[)s  almost  incredible.  The)'  were  compas- 
sionately removed  from  the  scene  of  their  harrow- 
ing trials. 

The  grievous  <iews  of  Mr.  Williams'  tlc.ilh  having 
reached  England,  the  London  Missionary  Society 
resolved  to  attempt  to  plant  a  mission  station  on  the 
spot  Avhere  he  was  slain.  Two  C(^urageous  young 
men,  named  Nisbct  and  Tinner,  with  their  equally 
heroic  wives,  offered  to  uiulertake  the  dangerous 
work.  June,  1842.  found  them  at  Port  Resolution, 
where  both  the  chiefs  and  the  connnon  people  gave 
them  an  api)arently  liospitaiile  reception.  Here, 
through  .seven  wretched  months,  the  little  party  did 
their  utmost  to  conciliate  the  Tannese,  but  their 
perils  multiplied  daily.  Einally,  at  midnight,  they 
were  forced  to  flee  for  safety  to  an  open  boat,  and 
to  put  out  into  this  bay  which  we  now  overlook.  But 
for  some  reason  the\'  were  compelled  to  return  to 


TEACHING,    PREACHING,    AND    MAKTVKDOM.         29 

the  sliore,  at  the  risk  of  their  Hves.  Importunately,  a 
trading  vessel  came  into  the  harbor  tiie  next  day, 
and  on  it  they  took  passage  for  Samoa,  not  having 
touched  the  shore  of  Krromanga.  Thus,  for  a 
number  of  years,  ceased  all  endeavor  to  erect  the 
standartl  of  the  gospel  on  either  Tanna  or  Krro- 
manga 

Ann  nail)',  however,  the  Loiuion  Missionary  So- 
ciety's ship  sailed  throUL;!!  the  New  Ilebriiles, 
watching  for  an  opportunit\-  to  place  teachers  upon 
the  islands,  and  silently  exerting  a  civilizing  inllu- 
ence  upon  the  ferocious  natives.  At  length,  eight- 
een )'ears  after  the  shocking  death  of  Mr.  Williams 
and  Mr.  Harris,  such  ajipeared  to  be  the  effect  of 
these  repeated  \'isits  of  the  ship,  and  of  the  labors 
of  the  devoted  Samoan  teachers,  that  it  was  resoKed 
to  renew  the  effort  made  at  l''.rromanga.  This  time 
a  )()ung  minister.  Rev.  (i.  X.  (lordon,  and  his  wife, 
from  \o\a  .Scotia,  wen-  to  bcH-oine-  the  niart\'rs. 
They  arri\ed  at  Dillon  Ha)-,  haromanga,  in  1 857, 
where,  sometime  before,  a  sandal-u  ootl  agenc\-  h.id 
been  establislud.  Mr.  (ioidoii  was  versed  in  h.md- 
icrafts,  and  experienced  in  cit\'  missic^n  work,  l^uir 
jears  he  and  his  wife  toiled  to  s«)ften  the  savage 
hearts  around  them.  They  li\ed  amid  continual 
fears  and  trials,  until  tlu-  20th  of  Ma)-.  iS^i,  when 
they  were  put  to  death  b)-  the  people.  There  re- 
mained, howe\er,  some  enduring  fruit  of  their  work, 
portions  of  the  Scriptures  had  been  translated  into 
the  Erromangan  tongue,  antl  the-  hearts  of  a  few 
nati\  es  luul  been  touched  b\-  the  truth 


30        TWO  CANNIBAT.  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

The  mournful  tidin<js  of  their  death  reaching 
Nova  Scotia,  a  brother,  the  Rev.  J.  D.  Gordon,  vol- 
unteered to  continue  the  work  on  the  ground  where 
they  had  fallen.  He  entered  Dillon  Bay  in  1864, 
and  labored  on  the  island  for  eight  years,  with  un- 
tiring zeal,  teaching,  translating  the  Scriptures,  and 
founding  new  stations.  In  1872  he  was  slain  at 
Portinia  Bay,  Krromanga. 

Such,  briefly,  was  the  melancholy  beginning  of 
Christian  Missions  in  the  New  Hebrides.  On  no 
other  island  of  the  group  have  so  many  tragic 
scenes  been  enacted  in  connection  with  the  mission- 
aries as  upon  P>romanga.  On  other  islands  num- 
bers of  teachers  Ikuc  soon  succumbed  to  disease. 
This  is  particularly  true  of  Tanna,  the  home  of  fatal 
fevers.  But  it  may  be  said  that,  on  almost  every  isl- 
and, fears,  perils,  distresses,  discouragements,  ca- 
lamities, threatened  death,  and  hasty  flights,  have 
signalized  the  gospel  work. 

Yet  never  has  the  interest  in  the  field  seemed  to 
flag  because  of  these  adversities.  The  Presb}'terian 
Church  of  Lower  British  North  America  has 
steadily  kept  representatives  on  the  long  unfruitful 
ground.  Within  the  last  forty  years  sa}'s  Dr. 
Steel,  of  Sydney,  New  South  Wales,  the  church  in 
Nova  Scotia  has  sent  ten  brethren  to  the  New  Heb- 
rides. The  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  of  Scot- 
land, "a  bod}'  of  only  thirty  congregations,"  has 
furnished  some  of  the  brightest  names  in  the  list  of 
noble  men  and  women  who  ha\e  here  fought  man's 


TEACHING,    PKEACHINr,,    AND    MAKTVKDoM.         3 1 

greatest  cneni)'.  Sonic  have  been  obliged  to  flee 
from  station  to  station  to  sa\e  their  lives.  The 
Presbyterian  churches  of  Australia,  Tasmania,  and 
New  Zealand  ha\e  all  aided  in  cultivating  the  sterile 
territory.  As  a  pioneer  in  the  discouraging  work, 
we  all  know  how  important  a  [)art  was  borne  b\-  the 
London  Missionary  Societ\-. 

Fifty  years  ha\e  luu'ried  by  since  the  mart\"rdom 
of  John  W^illianis.  I-'roni  that  day  to  the  present, 
almost  continual  effort  has  been  made  to  ci\'ili/.e  and 
Christianize  these,  in  most  of  the  islands,  still  savage 
people.  So  freely  has  monc\'  been  given  that  one 
may  almost  say  that  it  has  been  lavished  upon  the 
field.  Untold  health  and  strength  have  been  .sac- 
rificed in  the  long  and  determined  struggle.  What 
is  the  outcome? 

According  to  a  report  recently  rendered  by  Rev. 
Dr.  Steel,  there  are  now,  in  these  thirt)'  or  less 
islands,  eighteen  ordained  missionaries,  and  one 
hundred  and  twenty  native  teachers.  Said  Dr. 
Steel:  "The  islands  of  Kmai,  ICfat^,  Nguna,  Me- 
taso,  Aniwa,  Makuru,  Ancitium,  and  I*>romangaare 
now  almo.st  entirely  Christian"  (?).  "Converts" — 
just  what  Dr.  Steel  means  by  that  term  we  are  not 
positive — "  iiave  also  been  gathered  from  the  isl- 
ands of  Kfi,  I'cle,  Taina  Tangoa,  and  l-'otuna.  Re- 
cently, missionaries  have  settled  upon  Malo.  Am- 
brj-m,  Mallicollo,  and  ICspiritu  Santo.  The  Mel- 
ancsian  Mission,  under  Bishop  Selwyn,  is  at  work 
on  Aoba,  Maiwo,  and  Aragha.     Thus  are  almost  all 


32  TWO    CANNIBAL   ARCHIPELAGOES. 

the  New  Hebrides  Islands  occupied.  The  present 
outlook  is  full  of  encouragement,  and  it  is  hoped 
that  all  the  islands  will  soon  be  evangelized."  The 
value  of  Dr.  Steel's  statement  depends  upon  the 
meaning  he  attaches  to  the  words  *'  Christian," 
"converts,"  and  "evangelized."  Their  proper  sig- 
nification is  as  follows:  A  Christian  is  "one  who 
believes  in  Christ."  A  convert  is  "one  who  is 
turned  from  one  opinion  to  practice  another."  An 
evangelized  person  is  "one  who  is  converted  to  a 
belief  in  the  gospel."  One  does  not  like  to  doubt, 
but  it  is  certainly  a  question  if  the  people  on  any  of 
these  islands,  except,  possibly,  one  or  two  small  ones 
have  been  improved  up  to  the  high  idea  expressed 
by  any  of  these  terms.  Perhaps  we  can  learn  how 
that  is. 

Nguna  and  Fate,  with  their  several  small  islands 
adjacent,  lie  at  the  center  of  the  New  Hebrides. 
Twenty  years  ago  the  Rev.  Mr.  Milne  opened  a 
mission  on  the  former.  Of  the  seven  pretty  islets 
lying  near  these  two  islands,  he  ministers  to  four. 

For  years  progress  in  the  .spiritual  training  of 
the  Ngunese  was  painfully  slow.  The  Pacific  "  labor 
traffic,"  a  business  of  exciting  interest  in  all  these 
islands,  long  kept  his  pastorate  in  great  disquietude. 
Nevertheless,  we  are  told  by  Dr.  Steel  that  in  1889 
"Mr.  Milne  had  the  whole  island  of  Nguna  under 
Christian  instruction;  that  in  1888  he  baptized  one 
hundred  and  seventy-nine  jjersons;  that  the  number 
of  communicants  was  over  three  hundred  and  fifty; 


TEACHING,  PREACHING,  AND  MARTYRDOM.    33 

that  in  August  of  that  >'car,  if  we  arc  correct,  he  bap- 
tized, on  the  island  of  Emai,  sixty-four  adults  and 
thirteen  children — infants,  probably — and  that  his 
Christian  conv^erts  made,  during  the  year,  five  thou- 
sand pounds  of  arrowroot  as  a  contribution  to  the 
mission  fund."  Another  writer,  however,  states  that 
Mr.  Milne  himself  claimed  that  "  only  about  one- 
third  of  the  inhabitants  of  his  pastorate  were  even 
nominally  Christian."     This  was  in  1885. 

The  island  of  Fate  has  also  been  highly  favored 
with  missionary  sei"vices  since  1864,  when  a  noble 
Nova  Scotian  minister  settled  there,  toiled  ear- 
nestly, and  died  too  soon.  Other  laborers  from 
the  .same  land  promptly  stepped  in  and  continued 
his  work.  Last  year  two  brcthien — and  their 
wives,  we  presume — were  ministering  on  Fate  and 
its  retinue  of  islets.  Here,  then,  where  the  light 
has  so  long  been  shining,  we  ought  to  find  a  radical 
change  in  the  manners,  customs,  and  aims  of  the 
people.  But  has  such  a  change  taken  place? 
Many  instances  might  be  cited  to  prove  the  con- 
trary to  be  true.  We  note  but  one  or  two,  and 
those,  perhaps,  not  the  most  conclusive  that  might 
be  given. 

An  English  woman  residing  on  Isite,  in  1886, 
and  who,  with  her  husband,  had  settled  upon  the 
island  twelve  years  before,  with  a  heart  full  of 
sympathy  for  the  natives,  claimed  that  she  had 
been  compelled  to  change  her  opinion  of  them. 
She  had  "found  them  indolent,  untruthful,  and  un- 

3 


34        TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

grateful.  She  had  often  felt  indignant  over  the 
lack  of  appreciation  of  Mrs.  Milne's  labors,  ex- 
hibited by  the  natives,  for  whom  that  lady  had  so 
faithfully  cared."  She  also  stated  that  not  long 
before  "a  native  had  presented  a  musket  at  herself 
to  frighten  her,  in  order  that  he  might  rob  the  prem- 
ises. But  she  had  since  been  assured  that  now 
such  deeds  would  cease,  for  'there  remained  but 
seven  heathen  upon  the  island,  over  one  hundred 
having  been  converted  during  the  absence  of  the 
resident  missionary,  in  Australia.'"  Mr.  Julian 
Thomas,  who  spent  some  time  on  the  island  in 
1886,  gives  a  long  account  of  the  native  teacher 
whom  the  absent  pastor  left  in  charge  of  his  flock. 
We  epitomize  his  recital: — 

"Near  one  of  the  clearings  we  met  the  teacher 
whom  the  missionary  most  trusted.  He  was  an 
ordinary-looking  black  fellow,  but  partially  clad, 
and  carried  at  his  side  a  basket  of  }'ams  and 
cocoanuts.  The  man  answered  readily  to  the  name 
of  Dick.  He  was  a  fair  reader,  it  was  said,  of  his 
native  language,  and  was  able  in  expounding  the 
Scriptures.  But  so  disorderly  had  been  his  life 
during  the  absence  of  the  minister  that  his  con- 
gregation evinced  their  disappro\al  of  his  course 
by  uprooting  his  yam  garden  and  destroying  his 
household  goods." 

Great  effort  is  made  by  the  missionaries  through- 
out the  group  to  bring  the  natives  to  a  rigid 
observance   of  Sunda)-.     Of  those   at   the    Chris- 


TEACIIINC,    PKEACIIING,    AND    MARTYRDOM.         35 

tian  village  of  Fate,  it  was  remarked  by  a  visitor, 
"You  might  be  dying  of  thirst,  and  they  would  not 
pick  a  cocoanut  for  )'(»u  on  Sunda}-."  A  native 
woman  was  asked  if  she  could  procure  a  man  to 
guide  a  party  through  the  forest  a  little  distance. 
"  No  man  he  go  on  Sunday,"  was  the  instant  reply. 
These  tokens  show  clear!)-  the  trend  of  the  teach- 
ing on  Fate. 

The  stranger  who  sought  a  guide,  said:  "We 
soon  struck  the  beach  again.  A  native  was  in  the 
act  of  landing  from  his  canoe,  over  which  a  hand- 
kerchief fluttered  as  a  flag,  at  the  mast-head,  and  the 
sail  of  which  was  of  white  calico.  He  was  c\  i- 
dently  a  chief  He  was  nearly  nude,  but  wore 
worked  armlets  and  garters,  and  an  elaborate  head- 
dress. He  was  armed  with  a  car\ed  club  and  a 
double-barreled  gun.  His  nostrils,  not  being  large 
enough  to  suit  his  idea  of  beaut)-,  were  distended 
with  pebbles.  He  must  have  been  a  thorough 
heathen,  or  he  would  not  have  lieen  out  sailing  on 
Sunday.  He  was  affable  ami  spoke  kindly  to  the 
benighted  stranger,  gave  us  instructions  as  t(^  the 
way  we  should  take,  and,  fniall)-,  good-naturedly 
volunteered  to  accompany  us." 

There  are  other  commandments  of  the  decalogue 
— even  were  there  a  commandment  for  Sunday- 
keeping — quite  as  important  to  be  instilled  into  the 
minds  of  the  New  Hebridcans.  Some  of  them  tend 
even  more  di recti)'  to  good  morals.  We  do  not 
question  that  all  the  commandments  are  taught  by 


^6  TWO    CANNIRAL    ARCHIPELAGOES. 

the  missionaries,  but  obedience  to  some  of  them 
seems  hardly  to  have  been  so  rigidly  exacted  as 
the  observance  of  Sunday — substituted  for  the  Sab- 
bath of  the  fourth  commandment.  Strict  adherence 
to  the  prohibitions  of  some  others  would  have  saved 
not  only  the  yam  garden  and  the  household  goods 
of  the  native  pastor,  but  also  great  injury  to  the 
feelings  of  his  congregation. 

Having  noted  all  these  indications,  which  show 
the  lack  of  a  radical  change  of  character  in  the 
people  of  Fate,  the  writer  abov^e  quoted  remarks: 
"  The  reflection  at  once  arises :  Is  this  the  result  of 
years  of  missionary  teaching?  What  real  improve- 
ment is  there  in  the  habits  of  these  people?  In 
what  respect  are  they  materially  benefited?" 

With  us  the  question  is  not,  Have  the  Hebri- 
deans  been  "materially  benefited"  by  these  many 
years  of  gospel  teaching  ?  but,  1  lave  they  been 
improved  to  the  high  degree  of  being  "almost  en- 
tirely Christian,"  on  at  least  eight  of  the  islands, 
and  of  "  soon  becoming  e\angelized  throughout 
the  group  "  ?  The  above  and  other  similar  state- 
ments render  it  doubtful.  And  one  doubts  the  ad- 
vantage to  the  cause  of  Christ  of  representing  the 
religious  condition  of  the  people  on  any  of  these 
South  Pacific  Islands,  or  anywhere  else  in  the 
world,  as  advanced  one  step  further  than  it  really 
is.  Anyone  who  has  read  history  knows  that, 
with  some  signal  exceptions,  a  savMge  people  is  not 
lifted  out  of  centuries  of  barbarism  and  established 


TEACHING,    PREACHING,    AND    MARTVRDOM.         37 

ill  Christianity  within  a  single  generation.  Most 
of  the  Mission  Indians  of  our  Pacific  Coast  present 
an  illustration  of  this  fact. 

A  few  years  ago  the  writer,  having  occasion  to 
study  the  subject  of  Indian  missions  in  Southern 
California,  found  that,  prior  to  the  secularization  of 
the  Spanish  missions  by  the  Mexican  Government, 
the  man)'  hundred  Indians  connected  with  the  mis- 
sions were  considered  "  evangelized."  They  had 
been  baptized;  they  faithful!)-  attended  the  services 
of  the  Catholic  Church;  they  were  always  present 
at  mass  and  at  the  confessional,  and  were  \er)' 
obedient  to  their  spiritual  guides.  They  did  not 
mako  copra  and  arrowroot,  but  the)'  cultivated 
grapes,  and  tended  flocks  and  herds.  Notwith- 
standing all  this  walking  according  to  the  church, 
within  fifteen  or  twenty  years  after  the  rich  mission 
pro[)erties  were  placed  in  their  hands,  large  num- 
bers of  them  luul  returned  to  their  wild  tribes,  ant! 
to  their  former  mode  of  life,  and  the  valuable  mis- 
sion properties  were  hastening  to  ruin. 

Why? — .Simply  because  the  Indians  were  inca- 
pable of  .self-support  in  a  civilized  state.  They  had 
not  been  thrown  upon  their  own  resources,  had  not 
been  taught  to  be  indepemlent.  Their  teachers  had 
preferretl  to  lead  them  like  little  children.  What 
to  do  with  the  herds,  implements,  buildings,  and 
lands  commilled  to  tluii-  management  tlu')-  knew 
not.  Moreo\cr.  there  still  remained  in  man\'  a 
heart  a  relish  for  the  old  wilil  life  of  ante-mission 

441040 


38 


TWO    CANNIBAL    AKCIIIPF.LAGOES. 


days.  Accordiiii^f  to  Mr.  Thoma.s,  a  .state  of  thin^^.s 
vcr\-  like  thi.s  exist.s  on  I\'itc  and  otlicr  islantls  ctf 
the  Now  Hebrides  yroup,  e\en  now  at  the  .semi- 
centennial of  the  introduction  of  Chri.stian  missions. 
Another  reason  may  be,  as  one  suL^<rests  who  lias 
given  thought  to  the  subject,  that  the  difficult)'  in 
both  California  and  the  New  Hebrides  is  that  the 
gospc/  was  not  taught,  since  the  gospel  and  noth- 
ing else  has  the  power  to  evangeli/c  men. 


CIIAPTI'R  III. 

A   HRIKK    RUN   ABOUT   FATE. 

,uI3HI^  i.sland  of  Fatd — we  discard  "Sandwich," 
'^^^  the  name  inflicted  upon  it  b)'  Captain  Cook 
^'K/r  P  — is  a  hind  of  <;reat  beaut\'.  It  is  .seventy 
miles  in  circumference,  and,  as  we  ha\e  ahead)'  re- 
marketl,  lies  at  aiiout  the  center  of  the  archipelaLjo. 
Its  fine  landlocked  harbor  is  formed  by  two  tiny 
islands,  which  bear  the  names  Deception  and  Pro- 
tection, also  bestowed  by  Captain  Cook,  whose 
memory  will  remain  forever  green  in  this  regiiMi, 
tiircnigh  the  multitude  of  names  he  gave  to  its  lands 
and  waters.  The  water  close  to  the  entrance  of 
the  fort  is  ver)'  deep.  Indeed,  a  disadvantage  of 
llavannah  Harbor  is  its  great  depth  of  water, 
compelling  ocean  vessels  to  run  close  in  shore  to 
anchor. 

A  few  )-ears  ago,  when  the  labor  traflic  was  at  its 
ma.ximum  in  the  South  Pacific,  Havannah  Harbor 
was  the  rentlezvous  for  "  bujers "  from  Fiji  and 
Queensland.  No  other  port  of  the  New  1  R'brides 
displays  so  much  shipping.  Men-of-war  always 
j)ut  in  here  when  in  the  \  ii  initw  Not  long  since 
it  was  a  center  of  much  interest  to  business  firms 
in    I'iji    and    S)'dney.    several    prosperous    trading 

(39) 


40        TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

establishments  being  located  on  its  shores.  There 
were  then  on  Fatd  cotton  plantations  and  machinery 
for  makinj^  coir — a  coarse  corda<;e  made  from  the 
fiber  of  the  cocoanut  husk.  Near  the  site  of  the 
old  gin  and  engine-house  are  several  acres  of  ele- 
vated ground  commanding  a  \  iew  of  the  beautiful 
bay,  of  the  small  islands  at  its  mouth,  and  of  the 
lofty  summits  of  Mono  Island,  King  off  to  the 
north.  The  situation  is  \ery  charming,  and.should 
a  city  ever  be  reared  on  Fate,  this  sightly  spot 
would  certainly  be  its  location. 

In  1849  Admiral  Erskine,  father  of  the  present 
admiral  of  that  name,  and  commander  of  the 
English  ship  Havannah,  sailed  into  this  j)retty  liar- 
bor  and  gave  it  the  name  of  his  ship.  The  bay  is 
eight  miles  long,  with  an  average  width  of  two  and 
a  half  miles.  It  is  said  that  the  world  scarcely 
contains  a  more  beautiful  anchorage.  First,  a  neat 
sand)'' beach  encircles  it.  h^om  that  a  wide  level 
plain  e.Ktends  inland,  and  is  co\ered  with  rich  tropi- 
cal foliage.  Among  other  graceful  trees,  the  long 
leaves  of  the  banana,  and  the  feathery  crown  of  tiie 
cocoanut  palm,  wave  conspicuously.  One  notes  also 
the  sturdy  banyans,  and  the  superb  "  ivi  " — the 
splendid  Mangaian  chestnut.  Look  now  toward 
the  south.  The  lovely  green  terraces  you  see  were 
not  formed  by  the  hand  of  man,  but  by  volcanic 
agencN'.  Each  uj)heaval  is  clearly  defined,  and  is 
mantled  with  a  rich  \egetation. 

But  just  now  the  upper  end  of  the  ba}-  jjresents 


A    BRIEF    RUN    ABOUT    KATE.  4 1 

a  lively  spectacle.  That  licet  of  tiny  white  sails  re- 
iniiuls  us  of  animated  scenes  we  ha\c  witnessed  on 
that  uiiiiw'ilccl  inlet  of  the  Pacific,  San  Francisco 
Hay.  What  spirit  the}'  put  into  this  otherwise  quiet 
anchorage!  The  little  crafts  are  all  canoes,  with 
outriggers  and  white  calico  sails,  a  new  material  for 
that  puri)ose  in  the  South  Pacific.  P'ormerly  mats 
of  pandanus  propelled  ICfatese  canoes  before  the 
wind.  But  down  upon  us  now  conies  one  of  the 
boats,  evidently  intending  to  run  the  ship  untier. 
Ah,  no!  the  occupant  proposes  a  trade.  Cocoanuts 
and  fragrant  bananas  are  his  merchandise.  Hut  the 
price!  there's  no  conscience  in  it,  and  we  keep 
our  money. 

Hut  what  have  we  in  the  next  boat?  There  is  a 
face  which  startles  us.  It  is  that  of  a  w  hite  man, 
aged,  wonderfully  tatt(^oetl  upon  the  arms,  a  genu- 
ine bOche-de-mer  trader.  He  speaks  both  French 
and  Knglish,  but  neither  fluently.  And  surely, 
pictured  over  in  that  style,  neither  nation  would 
claim  him.  Omitting  his  boyhood,  and  perhaps  not 
all  of  that,  his  entire  life  has  been  trifled  away  in 
this  maze  of  islands.  At  his  side  sits  a  little 
maiden  wearing  a  gay  robe;  a  kerchief  the  color  of 
the  heavens  protects  her  refined-looking  head;  her 
complexion  and  the  cast  of  her  features  carry  us  to 
far-off  India;  her  straight  hair  tells  us  that  there  is 
no  Papuan  blood  in  her  veins.  The  persons  arc 
father  and  daughter.  The  mother,  now  dead,  was 
a  native  of  the  Line  Islands,  but  the  child  herself 
was  born  in  Levuka,  inland  of  Uvalau.  Fiji. 


4^  TWO   CANNIBAL   ARCHIPELAGOES. 

ArriviiiL^  at  the  landing,  <nir  first  objective  point 
is  the  niissit)!!  premises.  A  representative  op  tlie 
New  Hebrides  Company  kindly  volunteers  to  con- 
duct us  to  the  place  through  the  dense  but  beauti- 
ful forest.  The  man's  name  is  Robert  Scotch,  and, 
judging  from  his  height  and  manner,  his  blood  also 
is  Scotch.  He  came  hither  from  No\-a  .Scotia,  and 
has  spent  fifteen  years  in  these  Melanesian  groups. 
When  \vc  reflect  that  many  of  the  missionaries  in 
the  islands  are  Nova  Scotians,  we  are  not  surprisetl 
to  find  here  their  countrymen  of  other  walks  in  life. 

After  a  little  we  enter  a  well-defined  trail,  from 
which  we  catch  hasty  views  (.f  the  bright  bay  gleam- 
ing beyond  the  thicket  of  shrubs  and  low  trees. 
Now  we  come  out  upon  the  beach.  But  who  is  this 
man?  A  waistband  clothes  him  ;  a  sort  of  coronet 
graces  his  head;  circlets  of  beads  adorn  his  arms; 
in  his  hand  are  a  bow  and  a  quiver  of  arrows.  He 
marches  along  through  this  noonday  heat,  not  in 
the  least  affected  b\-  it.  In  this  part  of  the  world  a 
thick  skull  is  of  some  serxice  when  the  sun  is  at 
meridian.  Suddenly  the  man  takes  aim,  lets  fly  a 
couple  of  arrows,  wades  into  the  water,  and  picks 
up  his  arrows  w  ith  a  fish  at  the  point  of  each.  That 
was  fine  marksmanship. 

We  continue  our  walk;  cocoanut  trees,  bread-fruit 
and  banana  trees,  with  here  and  there  a  yam  garden, 
grace  the  way.  Gay  butterflies  .sail  hither  and 
thither  among  the  green.  Scarcely  can  we  put  a 
foot    down    without    stepping    upon    a    crab-hole. 


n 


I 


A    BRIEF    RUN    ABOUT    FATE.  45 

Having  crossed  several  talkati\e  little  streams,  and 
climbed  a  fence  or  two,  wc  come  upon  the  mission 
village.  Are  these  structures  really  the  habitations 
of  men  and  women  among  whom  the  gospel  has 
long  been  preached?  Each  dwelling  is  but  a  roof 
built  up  from  near  the  ground.  All  are  dark,  low, 
dirty,  destitute  of  walls  or  windows,  and  inferior  to 
any  homes  we  have  seen  in  all  our  wanderings.  In 
front  of  each  house  is  a  small  space  carpeted  with 
crushed  coral,  where  the  inmates  may  sit  and  take 
the  fresh  air.  Arc  the  llebrideans  so  much  less 
capable  of  improvement  than  the  Kijians,  whom  we 
found  in  homes  comfortable  and  iiniting?  Is  it  be- 
cause of  the  soft  climate,  or  because  no  strong 
governing  power  exercises  authority  on  Fate,  and 
each  man  does  as  he  pleases,  that  their  condition  im- 
proves so  slowly?  Ourtall  guide  remarks,  concern- 
ing the  resident  missionary,  now  absent  in  Victoria, 
"  He  has  done  all  the  good  he  can ;  he  has  the  people 
well  in  hand." 

Our  mind  reverts  to  the  Yakim.i  Indian  Reserva- 
tion, Yakima  Valie\-.  Washington.  In  iSSo  those 
Indians  possessed — as  help  in  the  arts  of  husbandry 
— plows,  harrows,  mowers,  reapers,  and  wagon.s. 
Numbers  of  them  li\  eil  in  comfortable  liomes,  fur- 
nished with  stoves,  tables,  clocks,  beds,  mirrors, 
newspapers,  the  Bible,  and  much  el.sc  that  is  u.scful 
and  pleasant  to  see.  "They  were  once,"  to  quote 
the  language  of  the  Re\-.  J.  H.  Wilbur,  who,  at  that 
time,  had  been  for  twent\-  years  their  superintendent. 


46  TWO    CANNIBAL   AKCHirELAGOES, 

friend,  and  adviser,  "as  low  as  Indians  ever  become 
without  goini^  to  the  bottomless  pit."  Fortunately, 
Mr.  Wilbur  believed  as  vigorously  in  the  plow  for 
its  purpose  as  in  the  Bible.  In  his  training  of  the 
Yakimas  he  used  both  with  a  will. 

From  the  nati\c  quarters  we  pass  into  the  mis- 
sionary inclosurc.  The  residence  is  of  wood,  with 
an  iron  roof  and  a  veranda.  There  are  other  build- 
ings for  dining-room,  for  stores,  for  visitors,  and  for 
servants.  During  the  minister's  absence,  everything 
receives  faithful  attention.  His  return  might  be 
sudden,  and  nothing  would  be  out  of  order.  From 
the  garden,  beautiful  with  flowers,  to  the  airy  boat- 
house,  built  with  more  care  than  any  of  the  native 
dwellings,  the  keeping  is  perfect.  Of  the  two  well- 
made  boats  under  shelter,  one  is  for  travel  in  the 
harbor,  and  the  other  for  voyages  to  neighboring 
islands  of  the  group,  in  summer  weather.  Both  arc 
nicely  painted  and  ready  for  use.  Had  the  native 
preacher,  to  whom  we  have  referred,  been  as  faith- 
ful as  had  been  those  who  had  charge  of  the  tempo- 
ral affairs  of  the  premises,  we  should  have  been 
well  pleased. 

One  could  not  obser\e  the  delightful  location  of 
the  mission,  with  the  pastor's  ample  residence  per- 
fectly kept,  and  reflect  that  he  is  by  no  means  severed 
from  the  outside  world;  that  into  this  harbor  come 
people  and  shipping  from  nearly  all  land5,  and  that 
here  every  necessary  of  life  is  easily  obtained,  with- 
out   feeling   that  many  a  pastor  in  more  civilized 


A    RKIKI-    KL'N    ABOUT    FATK.  47 

communities  occupies  a  post  far  less  desirable.  1 1  ere, 
all  affairs  arc  regulated  according  to  his  own  will. 

Let  us  now  turn  our  attention  to  the  church. 
You  see  this  roomy  building,  with  roof  of  thatch, 
sides  of  bamboo,  and  floor  of  crushed  coral.  Take 
a  look  at  the  interior.  Timbers  laid  upon  short 
posts,  at  each  side,  form  the  seats  for  the  congrega- 
tion. Seated  upon  these,  the  hearers  are  certainly 
not  likely  to  fall  asleep  during  the  services.  The 
windows  and  doors  are  wide  open.  At  one  end  are 
placed  a  chair  and  a  small  tabic.  The  structure  is 
little  better  than  a  barn,  and  has  an  air  of  neglect. 
Possibly  a  more  comfortable  aiul  attracti\c  house 
of  worship  would  have  had  its  influence  in  uplifting 
this  degraded  people.  Without  doubt  that  has  been 
the  effect  of  the  pretty  churches  on  Mangaia  and 
Rakaanga,  of  the  Ilerv'ey  group. 

If,  now,  we  extend  our  walk  some  distance,  we 
shall  arri\e  at  a  fme  plantation  bearing  the  pretty 
name  of  Rahnie.  The  place  is  a  possession  of  the 
New  Hebrides  Compan)-.  The  soil  is  a  compound 
of  powdered  coral  antl  decayctl  vegetation,  and  will 
produce  almost  excrjthing  la\  ishly.  A  feature  of 
the  i)lace  which  fust  attracts  us  is  a  field  planteil 
with  corn,  which  is  expected  to  yield  ninety  bushels 
per  acre,  and  two  crops  annuallx-.  (^nce  the  lanil 
is  cleared,  and  the  seed  planted,  the  soil,  sun,  rain, 
dew,  and  air  unite  to  produce  enormous  harvests. 

But  at  Rahnie  the  question  is  not  so  nuich, 
What  crop  will  the  land  produce  most  bountifully? 


4.S  TWO    CANNir.AL    AKCII  IPF.LAGOES. 

as,  What  product  will  brin^  the  most  money? 
And  wc  find  that  cocoanuts  pay  far  better  than 
maize.  Rahnie  exhibits  acres  of  the  beautiful  trees, 
and  the  superintendent  is  multiplying  them  rapidly. 
The  great  object  in  view  is  the  manufacture  of  co- 
pra. In  London  this  article  is  worth  twenty  pounds 
sterling  ($ioo)  per  ton. 

During  our  rambles  in  Fiji  we  learneci  that  a 
cocoanut  tree  begins  to  bear  seven  years  from  the 
planting.  The  superintendent  at  Rahnie  states  that 
the  tree  will  bear  fine  fruit  for  the  long  period  of 
eighty  years.  When  planted  in  broad  fields,  it 
attains  a  lower  height  than  in  the  forest,  but  forms 
a  heavier  trunk,  and  yields  a  larger  harvest  of  nuts. 
Sunlight  and  heat  are  indispensable  to  the  perfection 
of  the  cocoanut,  hence,  in  its  natural  state,  the  tree 
must  overtop  all  others  in  the  forest,  if  it  bear  val- 
uable fruit.  The  exceeding  height,  graceful  trunk, 
and  beautiful  feather)-  top  of  the  cocoanut  make  it 
the  queen  of  forest  growths. 

Rahnie  is  a  magnificent  estate.  It  has  an  outlook 
upon  the  sea  of  two  miles  and  a  half,  and  stretches 
from  the  sea  far  inland  to  the  mountains.  The  fin- 
est banyan  tree  in  the  world  is  .said  to  be  growing 
at  Rahnie.  The  longer  we  tarry  upon  Efate  the 
more  charming  does  it  become.  The  landscapes 
and  waterscapes  are  fascinating.  The  peculiar  ever- 
greenness  of  the  island  is  as  pleasant  as  it  is  inde- 
scribable. We  see  some  things  which  remind  us  of 
home.     Among  them  are  the   swallows,  pigeons. 


'  'I" 


A    BRIEF    RUN    AROUT    FATE.  5 1 

and  parrots,  which  animate  the  woods.  True,  on 
our  coast  the  latter  talk  and  laugh,  cry  and  screech, 
in  cages,  but  they  are  in  such  numbers,  and  show 
such  intent  to  stay,  that  they  are  entitled  to  nat- 
uralization papers.  "The  swallows  homeward  fly" 
is  an  announcement  that  can  never  be  made  on 
I*\'ite.  They  are  ahva\'s  at  home.  No  dearth  of  in- 
sects c\'er  dri\cs  them  to  some  blissful  Gulf  of  Mex- 
ico to  feed  upon  creatures  that  fly,  hop,  crawl,  and 
wriggle.  Do  not  think  of  the  pigeons  of  Fate  as 
being  our  modest,  gentle  gra}'  and  white  species. 
They  are  green,  and  contribute  their  mite  t<i  the 
ceaseless  emerald  a.spect  of  the  island. 

Fate  is  a  birthplace  for  fevers.  They  originate 
in  its  thick  jungles,  where  the  exuberant  vegetation 
bars  out  the  sunlight  and  bars  in  the  moisture. 
Were  there  vast  herds  of  cattle  daily  browsing  the 
crowded  trees,  and  large  flocks  of  sheep  grazing 
upon  the  dense  grass,  much  of  the  mi.isma  would 
disappear.  A  large  rural  populati<Hi  actively  en- 
gaged in  agriculture  woukl  be  a  blessing  to  the 
country  in  the  same  direction.  The  island  fevers 
attack  all  persons,  and  attack  them  repeatedl)'. 
Happily,  they  usually  afflict  the  sufferer  but  a  few 
hours,  and  the  natives  make  light  of  them.  Hut 
there  are  deadly  diseases  which  lie  in  waiting  for  the 
stranger,  for  children  born  of  white  parents,  and  for 
the  adult  native  with  waning  strength. 

Let  us  now  take  seat  in  this  canoe  and  allow 
these    two    athletic    natives   to    propel    us    rapidly 


52  'IWO    CANNIBAL   ARCHIPELAGOES. 

iK)ilh\vai\l  into  the  picturesque  strait  which  sepa- 
rates Fate  from  the  little  island  of  Muna,  or  Nguna, 
where  Mr.  Milne  resides.  Threading  this  passage, 
we  shall,  in  due  time,  be  set  ashore  at  Rathmo}',an 
estate  owned  and  cultivated  by  the  only  I'^nglish- 
num  on  Fate.  An  attraction  which  specially  draws 
us  thither  is  his  splendid  coffee  plantations,  em- 
bracing about  one  hundred  acres. 

This  strait  is  nine  miles  broad,  antl  just  now  calm 
and  lovel)-.  But  let  a  strong  wind  suddenly  dash 
through  here,  and  these  oarsmen  will  pull  speedily 
for  the  shore.  You  remember  the  wonderful  coral 
formations  under  the  waters  in  the  Bay  of  Apia, 
Samoa.  Take  a  look  now  into  these  depths.  Mark 
the  varying  shades  of  the  gay  coral.  Notice  the 
forms  into  which  it  is  built.  There  are  sprays, 
and  branches,  and  trunks  of  trees.  They  arc  of 
every  lovely  tint.  The  tiny  polypi  have  erected  a 
forest  in  the  ilccp.  They  have  laid  out  gardens, 
rolled  out  plateaus,  built  arched  passagc-wa\-s,  done 
their  sweet  will  in  everything.  Wonderful  zo- 
ophytes! In  and  out  amid  all  the  beauty  glide  an 
infinity  of  creatures  in  shell,  and  skin,  and  scale. 
You  observe  that  the  beach  far  away  looks  like  a 
mere  rim  of  white  sand.  Were  you  there,  you  would 
be  reminded  of  pretty  Mangaia  and  its  lofty  belt  of 
dead  coral,  pierced  with  tunnels,  rent  into  deep 
chasms,  built  up  into  arches,  points,  and  pinnacles. 
So  on  that  distant  beach  wind  and  wave  have  worked 
out  all  sorts  of  odd  fancies. 


A    BRIEF    RUN    ABOUT    FATE.  53 

But  we  arc  beside  the  little  clock  at  Rathmoy. 
The  residence  .stands  three  hundred  and  fifty  feet 
above  the  .sea,  but  the  ascent  is  f^ratlual.and  affords 
views  of  sea  and  land  which  make  us  forget  that 
we  are  climbing.  Having  but  the  morning  f  )r  our 
trip,  after  a  cordial  welcome  by  the  owner,  we 
hasten  away  to  the  coffee  gardens  on  the  mountain 
slopes,  three  miles  away.  On  Fate  the  coffee 
shrub  thrives  best  in  such  situations.  The  variety 
growing  on  this  plantation  is  a  nati\e  of  the  New 
Hebrides,  and  is  one  of  the  finest  known.  See! 
these  hundred  acres  are  in  blossom  throughout. 
SeUlom  will  one  behold  a  more  beautiful  sight. 
The  flowers  are  pure  white,  very  fragrant,  and  con- 
trast charmingly  with  the  dark  green  leaves.  They 
open  in  dense  clusters  at  the  a.xils  of  the  leaves, 
but  quickly  wither  ami  drop  off  The  shapely 
leaves  are  about  six  inches  \on\j;  by  two  and  a  half 
inches  wide. 

hy  f  )llowing  our  usual  mode — asking  questions 
— we  have  learned  that  Arabia  l''elix  is  the  (»riginal 
home  of  the  coffee  plant.  It  was  in  that  land,  over 
three  hundretl  years  ago,  that  an  infusion  of  the 
seeds  was  first  used  as  a  beverage.  Thence  the 
berry  made  its  way  to  the  city  of  Constantinople, 
where  it  soon  won  such  favor  that  attractive  re- 
sorts, termed  coffee-hou.ses,  were  opened  at  various 
points  in  the  city.  These  became  so  popular  as 
greatly  to  decrease  the  attendance  at  the  services  in 
the  mostjues.     This  state  of  things  aroused  the  ire  of 


54  TWO    CANNIBAL    ARCHIPELAGOES, 

the  priests,  and  forthwith  there  began  a  war  of  ex- 
termination against  the  mischievous  coffee-houses. 
Notwithstanding,  coffee  drinking  took  firm  hold  in 
Constantinople.  Thence  the  custom  traveled  west- 
ward o\cr  Europe,  and  in  due  time  crossed  the 
Atlantic.  In  the  New  World  it  made  an  easy  con- 
quest, and  to-day  more  coffee  is  consumed  l)\'  the 
people  of  the  United  States  than  by  any  other 
nation  on  the  globe. 

The  fruit  of  the  coffee  plant  is  a  fleshy  berr)', 
which  contains  two  seeds,  each  having  one  flat  side 
with  a  tiny  groove  in  the  middle.  These  seeds 
form  the  coffee  of  commerce.  The  Java  and  Cey-. 
Ion  varieties  are  the  most  valuable.  Of  these,  two 
hundred  million  pounds  are  produced  annually. 
Mocha  is  another  favorite,  and  is  a  product  of 
India.  It  is  said  that  very  little  true  Mocha  finds 
its  way  into  the  American  ports.  Brazilian  coffee, 
however,  to  the  amount  of  two  hundred  million 
pounds  annually,  is  marketed  in  the  United  States. 

On  Fate,  when  a  man  proposes  to  become  a  coffee 
planter,  he  first  sows  the  seed  in  a  nursery.  When 
the  young  shrubs  ha\e  attained  several  inches  in 
height,  he  plants  them  in  the  permanent  fields, 
some  six  or  eight  feet  apart.  They  are  .set  out  with 
great  care,  and  no  little  labor  is  afterward  expended 
in  pruning  the  shrubs  and  keeping  the  ground  free 
of  weeds.  In  its  natural  state  the  coffee  tree  attains 
a  height  of  eighteen  or  twenty  feet;  but  on  a 
plantation  it  is  rareU'  permitted  to  exceed  six  feet, 


A  BRIEF  RUN  A  BOLT  FATE.  55 

and  oftentimes  is  kept  below  that  height  by  sys- 
tematic "  pruning  in. "  This  mode  of  treatment 
sends  the  branches  out  laterally  and  vigorously,  and 
gives  the  tree  a  bushy  appearance.  The  beautiful 
shrub  begins  to  bear  the  second  \car.  The  third 
year  the  planter  exi>ects  a  fairh-paying  crop.  In 
the  prolific  soil  of  I-'ate  the  coffee  harvest  is  some- 
thing amazing.  When  the  berry  shrivels  distinctl)* 
and  takes  on  a  deep  red  color,  its  harvest-time  has 
come. 

The  term  "Seaview"  was  not  given  to  the  ten 
thousand  beautiful  acres  of  which  this  coffee  garden 
is  a  part,  without  good  reason.  The  view  from  it  in 
all  directions  is  inspiring.  At  our  feet  surges  the 
great  ocean.  Within  the  range  of  vision  an  archi- 
pelago of  islands  decks  its  surface.  Right  here, 
almost  near  enough  to  lay  our  hand  upon  them,  lie 
Pell  and  lovely  Muna.  Thirtx-  miles  awa\-,  hut 
clearl)'  seen,  is  Mataso.  Xcar  that  is  the  "  Monu- 
ment," its  summit  five  hundred  feet  above  the  water. 
Everlastingly  the  waves  break  upon  it  in  leaps,  and 
dashes,  and  wreaths  of  foam.  Looking  northwartl. 
wc  descry  thickly-wooded  and  mountainous  Api, 
with  the  three  peaks  of  Mai  between.  Vou  see 
that  column  of  smoke  winding  upward  beyoml 
Api.  It  indicates  the  jiositiiMi  of  Ambrym,  and 
a.scends  from  its  great  volcano.  We  are  due  in 
Havannah  Harbor  at  sunset.  So  we  bid  our  c<nirt- 
eous  host  a  iiearty  good-by,  return  hastily  to  the 
creek,  and  immediateK'  '^  lil   .lu.u-      f^in  our  home- 


56  TWO    CANNIItAL    ARCHIPELAGOES. 

ward  way  oxer  the  t^lcaiiiin^  sea  this  little  story- 
comes  to  our  cars: — 

One  of  the  early  missionaries  on  Fatd  was 
Simeona,  a  native  of  lovely  Aitutaki,  of  the  Hervcy 
j^roup.  He  was  stationed  at  the  \illa<j^e  of  Panj^o. 
The  chief  of  the  place  was  kind  to  him,  supplied 
him  with  food,  and  suffered  no  one  to  molest  him. 
One  day  the  chief  brou«^ht  to  Simeona  and  his 
wife  a  little  girl  to  wait  upon  them.  She  proved 
to  be  an  unusually  pleasant  child.  Not  long  there- 
after the  chief  came  to  call  upon  Simeona.  In  the 
presence  of  the  little  maiden  he  remarked,  "When 
I  die,  this  little  girl  will  die  too." 

"How  is  that?"  asked  Simeona. 

Said  the  chieftain:  "  In  this  country,  when  a 
great  man  dies,  four  or  five  persons  must  be  slain  to 
bear  him  compan\-.  Should  no  persons  be  stran- 
gled at  my  death,  in\'  people  would  say,  '  He  was  no 
chief  To  avoid  this  disgrace,  I  purchased  this 
child  of  her  mother,  some  years  ago,  for  a  large  pig. 
In  the  care  of  ni)'  relatixes  are  four  other  children, 
feeding  against  the  time  of  need."  The  good 
Simeona,  who  was  a  Christian,  resolved  that  that 
should  never  be  the  fite  of  the  pretty  little  girl. 
I  le  therefore  adopted  her,  ;iAid  trained  her  f  »r  a  use- 
ful and  happy  life. 

During  Simeona's  sojourn  on  I'ale,  the  chief  of  a 
neighboring  village  called  upon  him.  "Do  you 
know  who  I  am?"  he  asked  proudly.  "No,"  curtly 
replied  Simeona.     "  Vou  ought  to  know,"  rejoined 


A    BRIEF    RUM    ABOUT    FATE.  5/ 

the  visitor,  "for  I  made  the  sun;  I  ha\e  jxnver  to 
make  it  cease  to  shine."  "  That  is  false,"  said  the 
missionary,  at  the  same  time  baring  his  arm  and 
adding:  "  Look  at  my  arm  and  hand.  Can  you  make 
an)'thing  like  them  ?  " 

The  conjurer  was  silent.  Simeona  then  warmly 
in\ited  Iiim  to  attend  the  Christian  services,  lie 
did  so  for  a  while,  but  wearied  of  them,  and  finall\' 
lapsed  into  his  old  wa)'s.  Afterward  the  maker  of 
the  sun  fell  ill,  ami,  might)-  as  he  was,  could  do 
nothing  for  his  own  relief  With  his  Christian  be- 
lief, Simeona  had  accjuired  some  knowledge  of 
medicine,  and  he  now  jirescribed  for  the  boaster. 
The  man  recovered.  In  gratituile  he  vowed  that 
he  would  forsake  his  fradulent  practices  upon  the 
people  and  "become  a  Christian."  Hut  the  jirofit 
and  importance  he  had  tlerived  from  trading  in  the 
fears  of  the  natives  were  too  great  to  be  exchanged 
for  self-denial  ami  cross-bearing,  and  he  soon  re- 
sumed the  business.  But  while  Simeona  was  yet 
on  FatiJ,  the  chief  dietl.  Calling  at  his  home,  the 
missionary  incjuired  what  caused  his  death.  Point- 
ing to  a  round,  basaltic  bit  of  st«)ne  placeil  near  the 
body,  a  brother  of  the  chief  answered,  "  I  le  was 
slain  by  this  god."  "How  can  that  be,  since  your 
brother  made  the  sun?"  asked  Sime«>na.  The  p<ior 
fellow  replied,  "All  we  know  is  that  yon  stone 
was  his  god,  .uid  slew  hir.i." 


CHAPTER    IV. 


tium. 


STILL  SAILING— AXF.ITIUM,  AXIWA,  FOTUXA. 

E  are  to  see  Api  and  Ambrym,  both  north 
of  Fate,  before  we  leave  the  New  Hebrides. 
But  lying  in  Havannah  harbor  is  a  shaky 
little  craft  about  to  make  the  run  to  Anei- 
There  is  nothing  to  prevent  our  taking  pas- 
sage in  her,  and  thus  adding  to  our  knowledge  of 
the  New  Hebrides. 

Aneitium  is  the  southernmost  island  of  the 
group,  and  was  once,  Dr.  Steel  tells  us,  "the  home 
of  a  low,  savage,  and  cannibal  people,"  "but,"  he 
continues,  "a  great  change  has  now  taken  place 
among  the  inhabitants."  Let  us  first  acquaint  our- 
selves with  the  island,  and  afterward  with  the  history 
of  its  evangelization.  Aneitium  is  a  volcanic  body 
of  land,  and  ver\'  mountainous.  Its  summits 
tower  heavenward  three  thousand  feet,  and  in  some 
parts  ascend  from  the  very  shore.  Ridge  rises 
above  ridge,  cone  towers  above  cone.  Between  the 
elevations  lie  many  deep  ra\ines,  heavily  wooded, 
and  sometimes  \cvy  picturesque.  Of  land  suitable 
for  cultivation  there  is  far  less  than  on  Fat^  or  on 
Tanna.  A  red  soil  is  plentiful,  but  it  is  unproduc- 
tive. The  vegetation  is  said  to  much  resemble  that 
of  Norfolk  Island.  It  is  not  luxuriantly  tropical. 
(  5S) 


J 


ANF.ITIUM.    ANIWA.    FOTUNA.  59 

Tlie  population  of  Anciliuin  is  sparse  and  tic- 
creases  annually.  In  1848,  when  the  Rev.  John 
Geddic  began  iiis  career  as  the  first  resident  mission- 
ary on  the  island,  the  inhabitants  numbered  three 
thousand.  A  census  report  made  out  to-day  would 
show  about  one  thousand.  The  visitor  notes  the 
scanty  junt^le  growths,  and  liails  them  as  an  indi- 
cation of  a  healthier  climate  than  that  of  Fate  or  of 
Tanna.  And  we  fiiul  the  atmosphere  reall)-  invigo- 
rating and  delightful.  Here  one  can  trudge  along 
tlie  hot  sandy  beach  at  mid-day,  and  fear  no  pros- 
trating effects. 

Our  captain  kindly  sets  us  ashore  at  the  romantic 
port  of  Anelcahaut,  the  chief  mission  station  on 
Aneitium,  and  for  thirt}'-five  years  the  headquarters 
of  the  New  Hebrides  mission  work.  The  inviting 
anchorage  is  formed  partly  1j\-  the  little  isle  of  In- 
yung,  once  thickly  peopletl.  but  now  deserteil.  -Ap- 
proaching the  place  from  Tort  Patrick,  the  vojager 
catches  beautiful  views  of  rocky  islets  here  and 
there,  and  of  the  great  coral  reef  near  the  shore. 
At  one  point  he  sees  a  cocoanut  grove  two  miles  in 
length.  The  numerous  small  fishing  grounds  which 
are  marked'  off  by  canoes  drawn  upon  the  beach 
denote  a  rather  compact  settlement  on  this  part  of 
the  island. 

Should  we  run  ashore  anywhere  along  this  beau- 
tiful stretch  of  coast,  we  should  find  the  nati\e 
dwellings  more  comfortable  than  those  on  I'ate.  but 
we  shoukl  now  fiml  most  of  them   untenanted.     It 


6o        TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

is  the  yam-planting  season,  and  the  inmates  are  ab- 
sent during  the  day  on  the  plantations.  In  this 
neighborhood  certainly  no  one  goes  hungry,  for  on 
every  hand  appear  evidences  of  prosperity.  The 
taro  patches  are  well  cultivated,  well-fed  pigs  are 
in  the  sties,  and  fat  fowls  strut  about. 

Thieving  must  be  a  pursuit  out  of  date  on  Anei- 
tium,  for  the  doorways  of  the  dwellings  are  closed 
only  with  long  mats.  The  pedestrian,  honest  or 
otherwise,  may  lift  the  drapery,  walk  in,  take  pos- 
session of  anything  he  wants,  and  go  his  way. 
However,  his  purloining  could  do  him  little  good 
unless  he  had  a  taste  for  such  treasures  as  a  hymn 
book,  the  New  Testament,  or  portions  of  "  Pil- 
grim's Progress,"  all  translated  into  the  language  of 
Aneitium.  These  are  about  the  only  portable  ar- 
ticles the  abodes  contain.  It  would  seem  impossi- 
ble for  even  an  accustomed  thief  to  rob  a  people  so 
confiding  as  are  these  cottagers,  who  put  nothing 
under  lock  and  key. 

But  come  back  to  Anelcahaut.  Can  the  New 
Hebrides  anywhere  furnish  a  lovelier  scene?  First, 
we  have  a  charming  valley  pushing  its  way  up,  up, 
toward  the  mighty  mountains  which  frame  the  pict- 
ure. The  most  prominent  object  in  the  scene  is 
the  long,  low  house  of  worship,  built  of  stone,  cov- 
ered with  stucco,  and  roofed  with  grass.  Here  it 
has  stood  for  nearly  thirty  years.  A  quarry  close 
at  hand  furnished  the  stone.  But  the  long  timbers 
came  from  the  distant  interior.     The  building  is  so 


ANEITIUM,    AMWA,    FOTUNA.  6 1 

spacious  that  every  soul  now  li\in<^  on  Ancitium 
could  worship  within  it. 

Dr.  Geddie  was  its  builder.  Great  must  have 
been  his  expectations  as  to  congregations  when  he 
planned  the  structure.  Usually,  as  we  know,  con- 
verts from  heathenism  are  made  slowly  under  Prot- 
estant teaching.  The  work  involves  a  change  of 
heart,  and  an  utter  abandoning  of  the  old  life,  and 
such  reforms  seldom  take  place  in  a  day.  Still,  on 
some  of  the  South  Pacific  islands  the  inhabitants 
have  taken  rapidly  and  sincerely  to  Christian  ideas. 
This  may  have  been  the  case  on  Aneitium.  We 
turn  to  Dr.  Steel's  report  on  missions  in  the  New 
Hebrides,  and  read,  in  nearly  these  words: — 

"The  two  missionaries" — Dr.  Geddie  and  Mr.  In- 
glis — "occupied  different  sides  of  the  island,  but 
labored  with  equal  zeal,  and  in  great  cordiality. 
They  preached,  taught  in  schools,  translated  the 
Scriptures,  composed  and  printed  a  class  book,  built 
premises,  and  exercised  an  influence  for  good  over 
all  the  island.  The  young  people  were  all  taught 
to  read  and  write.  Congregations  were  organized, 
with  elders  and  deacons.  Fifty  day-schools  were 
established,  and  over  two  thousand  ptM'sons  were 
admitted  by  baptism  into  the  church.  The  whole 
people  were  evangelized.  It  was  a  marvelous 
change  in  a  degraded  and  cannibal  people."  Cer- 
tainly it  was.  With  the  same  rapidit)'  were  the  In- 
dian tribes  of  California  sprinkled  and  admitted  into 
the  church  by  the  Franciscan  Fathers,  considerably 


62        TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

over  one  hundred  years  ago.  But  of  the  deep  sig- 
nificance of  that  relation — membership  in  the  church 
of  Christ — few,  if  any  of  them,  it  is  said,  had  the 
shghtest  conception.  We  quote  once  more  from 
Mr.  JuHan  Thomas,  greatly  abbreviating  his  account, 
and  omitting  his  unpolished  expressions.  Writing 
of  the  scene  at  Anelcahaut,  he  remarks : — 

**  To  the  right  on  the  beach  was  a  white  house, 
belonging,  I  was  told,  to  the  Aneitium  chief, 
Lathella.  We  landed  near  this,  and  were  met  by  a 
smart-looking  native  who  informed  us  that  Lathella 
was  at  his  house  on  the  other  side  of  the  bay, 
where  his  wife  and  family  resided.  This  building 
was  a  sort  of  government  residence,  a  place  to 
show  to  strangers.  Here  Outon,  a  young  native, 
drew  my  attention  to  a  man  walking  along  the 
shore  in  irons.  This  was  a  strong  evidence  of 
civilization.  So  I  tried  to  learn  what  offense  he 
had  committed.  He  had  caused  the  death  of  a 
young  girl,  and  had  been  sentenced  to  three  yams — 
three  years — at  hard  labor  for  the  crime.  The  irons 
did  not  seem  to  be  a  great  punishment  to  the  man. 
He  grinned  and  laughed,  without  any  appearance 
of  shame.  He  was  stout  and  in  good  condition. 
His  hard  labor  consisted  merely  in  plaiting  sinet 
from  cocoanut  fiber.  This  article  became  the 
property  of  Lathella,  the  chief.  The  jailer  ap- 
peared to  have  nothing  to  do  but  to  watch  this  one 
prisoner."  This  fact  speaks  volumes  for  the  good 
behavior  of  the  natives. 


ANEITIUM,    ANIWA,    FOTUNA.  63 

"The  prison  establishment  at  Anelcahaut  was 
very  primitive.  The  stockade  inclosed  a  small 
space  where  the  manufacture  of  sinet  went  on. 
Two  whipping-posts  were  the  chief  ornaments. 
The  jailer  showed  me,  with  glee,  how  offenders 
acted  when  he  applied  the  lash.  Capital  punish- 
ment had  apparently  been  abandoned,  else  he 
probably  would  have  been  the  executioner  also. 
The  calaboose  itself  was  an  ordinary  native 
house,  a  roof  without  walls,  and  was  lined  inside 
with  strong  posts.  The  kennels,  which  did  duty  as 
cells,  were  made  of  thick  boards.  Half  the  struct- 
ure was  for  the  accommodation  of  the  keeper. 
The  other  half  was  divided  into  three  compart- 
ments, with  low  doors,  the  bars  and  locks  being 
outside.  The  common  criminals  slept  in  the  cen- 
tral kennel.  On  each  side  was  a  solitary  cell,  one 
for  this  murderer;  the  other  had  lately  been  oc- 
cupied by  a  woman. 

'*  The  cells  were  so  narrow  that  the  occupants 
had  to  creep  into  them.  Three  years  in  irons  and 
a  residence  in  such  a  place  was  not  a  pleasant  sen- 
tence. Irons,  whipping-posts,  and  cells!  These 
showed  an  advance,  indeed,  on  the  part  of  the 
victors,  from  the  native  punishments  of  club,  fire, 
and  cannibal  orgies.  The  jailer  was  a  good-natured 
varlet,  who  laughed  at  the  prisoner,  laughed  over 
the  gravc-stoneof  Lathella's  eldest  born,  and  laughed 
most  when  he  received  his  gift  of  tobacco. 

"Meeting   Lathella  afterwards    on   the  beach,  I 


64  TWO    CANNIBAL    AKCIIIPKLAGOES. 

iiitcr\ic\vccl  liiin  in  reference  to  the  four  prisoners 
said  to  be  in  tlie  community — the  one  I  had  seen, 
and  three  others  at  work  in  the  chiefs  yam  gar- 
dens. He  informed  me  that  when  offenses  were 
committed,  the  culprits  were  brought  to  him  by  the 
head  men  of  the  village.  Being  the  judge,  he  gaxe 
them  whatever  sentence  he  pleased.  For  theft  and 
lesser  offenses  they  were  flogged.  '  The  man  in 
irons  was  a  bad  man,'  he  said.  '  How  do  you 
know,'  I  asked,  'what  punishment  to  give  a  man? 
Have  you  any  rule,  so  much  for  theft,  so  much 
for  murder,  etc?'  Lathella  answered:  'I  punish  as 
I  like.'" 

These  and  other  matters  we  might  relate  show 
that  to-day,  with  the  population  of  Aneitium  two- 
thirds  less  than  when  Dr.  Geddie  and  Mr.  Inglis 
were  working  so  diligently,  sinners  are  still  to  be 
found  on  the  beautiful  island.  That  great  good  has 
been  accomplished  in  these  five  and  thirt\-  }'ears  of 
earnest  Christian  endeavor,  there  is  no  douFjt. 
Every  soul  who  has  toiled,  suffered,  and  died  on 
the  forbidcien  field  deserxes  a  rich  reward;  but  it 
adds  nothing  to  the  real  progress  made,  to  call 
those  "Christian"  who  are  not  so.  Nati\e  life  on 
Aneitium  to-day  is  scarcely  ideal. 

Before  we  retrace  our  way  northward,  let  us  visit 
the  attractive  grounds — reservation,  it  is  called — 
surrounding  the  residence  of  Mr.  Armand,  the 
principal  missionary  on  Aneitium.  Here  we  find 
the    printing   press    on    which    that    indefatigable 


ANEITIUM,    ANIWA,    FOTUNA.  65 

worker,  Dr.  Gcddie,  is  said  to  lia\e  run  off  the  first 
sheets  of  the  Bible  in  Aneitiumese.  Mere,  also,  is 
the  school-house,  with  its  equipment  of  maps, 
globes,  magic  lantern,  etc.  We  learn  that  twelve 
pupils  attend  the  school.  The  instructor  is  a  na- 
tive of  Aneitium.  We  turn  now  to  the  long  church 
of  which  we  have  spoken.  We  find  one-third  of 
the  original  audience-room  cut  off  by  a  partition 
and  partly  occupied  by  stores.  This  space  is  itself 
subdivided  by  a  mat  of  enormous  dimensions, 
hanging  from  one  of  the  great  timbers  and  touch- 
ing the  floor.  We  learned  while  in  Samoa  how 
great  labor  is  required  to  make  such  a  mat. 

There  still  remains  a  spacious  audience-room, 
however,  lighted  by  nine  glass  windows,  with  large 
panes.  These  windows  open  toward  magnificent 
views  of  sea  and  land.  Matting  covers  the  floor. 
There  are  benches  around  the  sides,  and  a  few  seats 
in  front  of  the  desk.  A  square-cushioned  pew 
occupies  one  corner.  We  were  told  that  it  was 
"  for  the  minister's  family."  Back  of  the  reading- 
desk  is  a  bench  cushioned  in  red.  Just  above  it, 
fixed  in  the  wall,  is  a  tablet  stating,  in  the  language 
of  Aneitium,  that  "  Ion  Getti" — John  Gediiic — 
"  here  labored  fi)r  twenty-four  years;"  that  "when 
he  landed  on  Aneitium,  in  184.S.  there  were  no 
Christians,  and  when  he  left,  in  1872,  there  were  no 
heathen." 

A  feature  which  ever\  where  impresses  the  stran- 
ger on  these  islands,  where  missions  have  so  long 
5 


66  TWO    CANNIBAL    AKCHIPELAGOES. 

been  established,  is  the  very  small  number  of  na- 
tives who  speak  English.  The  missionaries  have 
performed  a  prodigious  amount  of  labor  to  trans- 
late the  Bible  and  other  works  into  the  native  dia- 
lects. Many  languages  are  spoken  in  the  group. 
Dr.  Steel  calls  them  a  Babel  of  tongues.  Into 
twelve  of  them,  more  or  less,  the  word  of  God  has 
been  translated.  The  work  has  been  accomplished 
with  an  immense  outlay  of  labor  and  monc}-.  It  is 
claimed  that  no  other  mission  in  the  South  Pacific 
has  so  many  missionaries,  serving  in  so  many  lan- 
guages, on  so  limited  a  territory.  The  New  Testa- 
ment has  been  translated  into  Tannese,  Efatese, 
and  the  language  spoken  on  Erromanga.  The 
entire  Bible  has  been  rendered  into  the  tongue  of 
Aneitium.  So,  also,  have  the  shorter  catechism, 
a  hymn  book,  a  part  of  "Pilgrim's  Progress,"  and 
a  dictionary.  All  works  in  l^fatese  are  e.xpected  to 
answer  for  the  inhabitants  of  I-'ate,  Nguna,  and  their 
seven  attendant  islets. 

Thinking  over  all  these  facts,  one  queries :  Would 
it  not  have  been  easier,  less  expensive  in  time,  labor, 
and  money,  and  in  many  respects  far  better  for  the 
natives,  particularly  for  the  rising  generation,  to  have 
taught  them  the  P^nglish  language  from  the  begin- 
ning? One  grand  result  of  that  course  would  have 
been  the  unification  of  the  tribes  now  so  hostile  to 
one  another.  It  would  have  saved  hundreds  of 
lives,  which,  during  the  past  thirty-fi\e  years,  have 
been  extinguished  by   tribal    wars.     It  would  have 


ANEITIUM,   ANIWA,    FOTUNA.  6/ 

brought  these  people  into  sympathy  and  relations 
with  the  milHons  of  our  race  who  speak  the  En- 
gHsh  tongue.  It  would  have  been  a  great  advantage 
to  the  thousands  of  Hebrideans  annually  employed 
on  English  plantations  in  Fiji,  Queensland,  and  else- 
where in  the  Pacific.  Their  engagements,  now 
made  ignorantly,  stupidly,  at  the  will  and  on  the 
terms  of  the  labor  trader,  could  be  made  intelli- 
gently, with  some  slight  justice  to  themselves. 
Lastly,  it  would  have  saved  the  making  of  books  in 
languages  which  must  cease  to  be  spoken,  as  the 
diminishing  tribes  become  extinct,  then  their  only 
value  will  be  as  curiosities,  on  the  shelves  of  anti- 
quarian book  collectors. 

In  this  series  of  little  books  we  have  several 
times  alluded  to  the  work  of  the  Marist  Fathers — 
French  Catholic  teachers — in  these  seas.  It  is 
said  that  immediately  upon  beginning  their  labors 
in  any  group,  these  men  commence  teaching  the 
inhabitants  the  French  language.  They  every- 
where succeed  in  the  task,  and  make  Frenchmen  of 
their  converts.  The  children,  especiall)',  are  taught 
French.  In  this  respect  cannot  the  English  mis- 
sionaries learn  a  valuable  lesson  of  the  Marist  Fa- 
thers? Would  not  the  large  sums  which  have 
been  spent  in  printing  the  word  of  God  in  twelve 
dialects  of  the  New  Hebrides  have  been  better  ex- 
pended in  making  that  word  known  on  the  islands 
of  Mallicollo.  Espiritu  Santo,  and  others  of  the 
group,  which  Dr.  Steel  says  are  barcl)-  touched  as 


68  TWO    CANNIBAL    ARCHIPELAGOES. 

yet?  Lastly,  niii^dit  not  the  vast  amount  of  mental 
energy  which  has  been  spent  by  the  missionaries  in 
learning  the  native  dialects,  have  been  husbanded 
for  a  better  purpose?  We  have  been  told  that  Rev. 
Mr.  Armand  has  acquired  three  of  the  Hebridean 
languages. 

A  word  now  while  we  are  in  this  part  of  the 
group,  in  reference  to  the  interesting  little  islands  of 
Aniwa  and  Fotuna.  Aniwa  is  the  only  true  coral 
island  of  the  New  Hebrides.  It  is  a  dainty  gem, 
only  ten  miles  in  circuit.  Most  of  the  surface  is  but 
fifty  feet  above  the  sea.  Feathery  cocoanut  trees 
make  the  spot  beautiful  and  half  feed  the  people, 
one  hundred  and  fifty  in  number.  Little  Aniwa  con- 
tains the  best  mission-house  in  the  New  Hebrides. 
Unlike  Erromanga,  the  islands  of  Aniwa,  Fotuna, 
and  Aneitium  have  for  many  years  been  safe  places 
of  abode  for  white  men. 

Fotuna  is  a  solitary,  flat-topped  cone  rising 
abruptly  out  of  the  ocean.  It  is  a  trifle  larger  than 
Aniwa,  having  a  circumference  of  fifteen  miles,  and 
is  in  the  highest  degree  healthful.  The  entire  pop- 
ulation— about  nine  hundred — occupies  eight  vil- 
lages. The  Rev.  Wyatt  W.  Gill  says  the  natives 
are  evidently  of  the  same  origin  as  those  of  Aniwa. 
They  have  a  tradition  that,  many  generations  ago, 
there  drifted  from  Tonga  a  large  canoeful  of  men, 
women,  and  children,  which  fortunately  reached 
this  little  islet,  and  found  it  uninhabited.  Their  an- 
cestors left  Tonga  under  the  guardianship  of  Mai- 
siki,  the  protecting  divinity  of  Fotuna  and  Aniwa 


ANEITIUM,    ANIWA,    FOTUNA.  69 

The  dwelling-place  of  IMaisiki  is  the  blue  ocean, 
but  occasionally  he  walks  on  shore,  disguised  as  a 
lovely  woman.  "  His  person,  during  these  prome- 
nades, is  wrap[)ed  in  multiplied  fields  of  fine  fish 
netting.  His  long  hair  is  entwined  with  the  scarlet 
flowers  of  the  iiibiscus,  the  white  blossoms  of  the 
gardenia,  the  fragrant  flowers  of  the  screw-pine,  with 
the  long  green  leaves  of  the  dracoena."  Six  other 
deities,  according  to  Fotuna  mythology,  are  subor- 
dinate to  Maisiki.  We  rejoice  to  add  that  the  last 
of  these  co»ipiis  the  evening  meal  to  be  properly 
cooked. 

Forty-seven  years  ago  two  native  Samoan  teach- 
ers, with  their  wives  and  one  young  girl,  undertook 
to  carry  the  gospel  to  I^'otuna.  Fvery  one  met 
death  at  the  hands  of  the  inhal)itants.  Ten  years 
later  teachers  from  Aneitium  located  upon  the  islet. 
Then  Ru  of  Aitutaki — of  the  Hervey  grouj) — took 
up  the  work,  remained  among  them,  conscientiously 
taught  them  the  gospel,  and  paved  the  way  for  Rev. 
and  Mrs.  Copelantl,  who,  in  1S76,  became  the  resi- 
dent missionaries. 

The  natives  of  I'^otuna  and  Aniwa  speak  a  dia- 
lect of  ICastern  Polj'uesia,  yet,  in  manners  and  com- 
plexion, they  scarcely  differ  from  the  I'.ipuans,  who 
are  their  neighbors.  The  following  fact  would  in- 
dicate that  their  dark  color  is  due  to  their  location. 
Ru  stated  that  "at  birth  the  babies  born  on  these 
islands  are  as  white  as  l''nglish  children,  but  they 
become  bl.ick    l)y  constant    exposure  to  the  sun." 


yO  TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

Many  of  the  men  wear  their  hair  long.  In  Ru's 
day  among  them,  they  were  ruled  by  a  majestic, 
fine-looking  chief,  whose  hair  actually  swept  the 
ground.  He  was  very  proud  of  it.  Ru  also  tells 
this  story: — 

One  Sunday  morning  he  invited  several  of  his 
neighbors  to  attend  the  gospel  service.  Most  of 
them  simply  laughed  at  him.  One  fellow,  however, 
raised  his  hatchet,  and  flourished  it  playfully  over 
Ru's  head.  The  latter,  not  quite  sure  of  the  man's 
intention,  asked  him  to  stop,  and  spoke  of  his  folly 
in  resisting  the  gospel.  "  Eat  your  gospel  and  your 
Sabbath,"  replied  the  man.  "I  am  off  to  the  sea 
with  my  fish-hooks,  and  shall  get  something  more 
substantial."  Away  he  went,  and  was  soon  re- 
warded with  a  fine  fish.  "  Ha!  this  is  much  better 
than  going  to  church,"  exclaimed  the  angler.  The 
next  effort  brought  a  hungry  shark  to  land.  But, 
upon  turning  around  for  his  hatchet  to  kill  his 
captive,  the  shark,  in  some  unaccountable  manner, 
caught  the  man  by  the  heel.  Never  did  more  lusty 
screams  break  from  the  throat  of  a  fisherman.  His 
friends  came  running  to  help.  Quickly  that  was 
a  shark  which  would  never  more  catch  men.  But 
there  was  a  big  mouthful  gone  from  the  fisherman's 
ankle.  He  limped  slowly  home,  leaving  a  trail  of 
blood  as  he  went.  Of  course  Ru,  and  perhaps  his 
heathen  neighbors,  attributed  the  disaster  to  the 
man's  disregard  for  Sunday. 


>-*- 


CHAPTER   V. 

API,  AMBRV.M,  ESIMRITU  SANTO. 

"^^^   . 

uJSipl'I  IS  i'l  sight."     The  announcement  brinrrs 

<  c^ki  us  to  the  deck.  Tust  before  us  high, 
[j  tliickly-wooded  hills  stand  out  sharply 
against  the  blue  sky.  The  land  seems  to 
ascend  from  the  very  sea.  As  we  draw  nearer,  we 
find  that  the  entire  island  is  a  succession  of  lofty 
peaks  and  steep  ridges,  with  fertile  valley's  inter- 
vening. The  highest  point  is  fifteen  hundred  feet 
above  sea  level.  This  is  Api,  the  scene  of  so  many 
bloody  tragedies  among  the  natives,  so  many  cruel 
massacres  of  white  people.  "The  people  are  still  can- 
nibals," wrote  one  when  .sailing  along  Api's  shores 
four  years  ago.  When  were  they  not  cannibals?  is 
a  question  no  one  can  answer. 

Api  is  but  a  little  territor\-,  twenty  miles  in  length 
and  sevent\'  miles  in  circumference.  North  of  it  lie 
Ambr)-m  and  Mallicolo,  and  south  of  it  luxuriant 
Efate.  It  is  fringed  b)'  a  narrow  shore  platform  of 
coral,  at  some  points  one  hundred  yards  wide.  The 
shore  reef  is  remarkable,  being  extremely  flat,  with 
the  upper  surface  dead.  It  is  said  that  this  is  be- 
cause the  water  above  the  reef  is  too  shallow  for  the 
upward  building  of  the  coral. 

The  natives  of  Api  are  faiiud  for  their  indolence 

(-1  ) 


72  TWO    CANNIBAL    ARCHIPELAGOES. 

and  inhumanity.  They  have  certainly  very  Httlc 
incentive  to  exertion.  Their  hves  are  the  most 
primitive  possible.  A  band  around  the  loins  forms 
the  only  clothing  for  the  men,  and  a  kilt  of  matting 
the  only  dress  for  the  women.  The  fish  in  the  sea, 
and  a  minimum  of  labor  bestowed  upon  the  soil, 
furnish  all  the  food  they  require,  and  they  have 
neither  commerce  nor  manufactures.  For  their 
barbarity  toward  white  people  doubtless  some 
apology  might  be  made.  The  labor  traffic  of  the 
past  fifty  years  is  in  great  degree  responsible  for 
it. 

Physically  the  Apians  are  inferior  to  the  higher 
class  of  Fijians  and  Samoans.  Most  of  them  are 
crooked,  and  about  five  feet  in  height.  Observe 
these  men  who  have  come  off  to  the  ship.  There  is 
no  animation  in  their  faces  or  gestures  as  they  talk, 
and  all  have  a  heavy,  dejected  look.  They  manifest 
childish  affectation  when  they  laugh,  concealing  their 
faces  in  their  hands,  like  coy  children;  and  none  of 
them  hiugh  aloud.  If  wc  look  into  the  eyes  of  one 
of  them  for  a  moment,  a  sickly  smile  parts  his  lips. 
lie  is  conscious  of  being  looked  at.  Here  is  one 
slightly  e.xcited.  Like  ourselves  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, he  has  allowed  his  voice  to  mount  to 
a  high  key.  He  is  human.  Instead  of  saying 
"no"  when  offers  of  trade  do  not  suit,  all  shrug 
their  shoulders  expressively.  But  now  over  the 
side  of  the  ship  they  go.  As  they  push  off,  their 
hands     are    raised — palm    outward — in    token    of 


API,    AMBKVM,    ESPIRITU    SANTO,  73 

good-by.  Around  the  neck  of  every  man  is  sus- 
pended a  small  triangular  charm,  or  ornament. 
Around  their  wrists  are  broad,  flat  bracelets  of  tor- 
toise shell,  and  in  their  ears  are  narrow  rings  of  the 
same  material.  The  bodies  of  all  are  cicatriced,  in 
some  instances  on  the  shoulder,  in  others  on  the 
breast,  in  some  cases,  on  both  these  parts.  Usually 
the  design  is  a  human  face.  The  arrows  they  carry 
are  all  tipped  with  bone,  and  are  made  terribly 
effective  with  poison.  The)'  prize  the  instruments 
highly,  and  part  with  them  reluctantly. 

Nearly  every  mile  of  Api,  except  the  spaces 
cleared  for  yams  and  taro,  is  mantled  with  the  dens- 
est vegetation.  Among  the  wilderness  of  growths 
near  the  shore  we  discern  the  curious  screw-pine, 
and  some  flourishing  fig  trees,  but  inland  a  few 
yards  the  tangle  of  vegetation  becomes  so  com- 
pact that  we  recognize  none  ot  our  acquaintances 
in  the  Eastern  Pacific.  We  see  ferns,  however, 
whose  texture  is  like  lace.  Api  now  has  si.x  white 
inhabitants,  two  of  whom  are  the  missionary  and 
his  wife,  whose  residence  looks  delightfully  in- 
viting from  this  distance.  There  are  three  large 
copra  establishments  on  the  ishuul — the  propert\' 
of  the  New  Hebrides  Company — which  arc  super- 
vised by  white  men. 

Weighing  anchor  with  a  good  breeze  in  our 
favor,  we  fly  away  toward  Ambrym,  passing  the 
islets  of  Paana  and  Lopevi  on  our  right.  The  lat- 
ter, with  its  surface  fi\e  thou.sand   feet  above  the 


74  T^\'0    CANN'II5AL   ARCHIPELAGOES. 

sea,  is  simply  a  volcano  half  asleep.  At  our  left  is 
Mallicolo,  a  charming  bit  of  land  with  but  two  of 
the  white  race  among  its  smoke-colored  population. 
The  shrewd  prophets  of  trade  predict  that  their 
future  headquarters  in  the  south  seas  will  be  this 
Mallicolo. 

A  cloud  of  smoke  from  its  ever-restless  volcano 
winds  into  the  air  above  Ambrym.  The  mountain 
indulges  in  neither  explosions  nor  eruptions,  as 
does  Yasur,  on  Tanna,  yet  it  is  regarded  as  the 
most  powerful  volcano  of  the  group.  It  has  two 
distinct  craters,  the  largest  of  which  is  some  eight 
miles  in  circuit.  The  mouth  of  this  crater  is 
thirty-five  hundred  feet  above  sea  level.  At  night 
the  glow  from  its  burning  interior  lights  sea  and 
sky  for  miles  around,  hke  an  enormous  lamp.  On 
one  side  of  the  vast  cone  stretches  a  broad  level 
plateau,  ten  miles  in  length,  formed  entirely  of  lava 
gravel. 

On  the  little  island  of  Aurora,  in  this  group, 
there  is  an  active  volcano,  from  whose  crater  there 
leaped  forth,  in  1871,  great  tongues  of  flame  and 
smoke,  which  were  soon  followed  by  a  disastrous 
earthquake.  Should  Ambrym  sometime  resolve 
upon  a  pyrotechnic  display  of  that  sort,  the  New 
Hebrides  may  be  shaken  to  their  foundations,  and 
Ambrym  itself  may  be  blotted  out  of  the  Pacific. 

A  beautiful  bay  indents  the  extreme  northern 
coast  of  Ambrym.  We  run  around  into  it,  and 
cast  anchor.     Several  vessels  in  the  port  are  flying 


API,    AMBKVM,    ESl'IKITU    SANTO.  75 

the  French  ensign.  As  at  every  other  anchorage 
of  the  group,  our  ship  is  soon  boarded  by  a  delega- 
tion of  native  men  in  extreme  undress,  but  with 
tlie  hair  tlone  in  a  style  which  would  utterly  defy 
the  skill  of  the  civilized  hair-dresser.  On  some 
lieads  it  is  arranged  in  a  circlet  of  perfectly  erect 
spikes,  pointing  in  all  directions,  like  the  thorns  on 
the  shell  of  the  sea  urchin.  Cocoanut  oil  and  some 
sort  of  fiber  have  contributed  freely  to  the  effect. 
?2very  man  flourishes  ear-rings,  but,  unlike  those  of 
the  Api  men,  they  are  very  diverse  in  pattern. 
From  the  ears  of  one — e\-idently  an  aristocrat — de- 
pend miniature  Jew's-harps.  Another,  bearing  a 
club  and  wearing  a  belt  of  cocoanut  fiber  about  the 
loins,  we  take  to  be  chief  Each  man  carries  a 
pipe  in  his  hair,  some  matches  in  his  whiskers,  and 
a  trifle  of  tobacco  thrust  between  his  arm  ancj 
bracelet. 

Will  fifty  years,  we  ask  ourselves,  suffice  to  civil- 
ize and  Christianize  these  men?  The  Ambrym 
native  has  a  reputation  for  honesty  and  general 
inoffensiveness,  but  he  is  a  cannibal.  Moreover,  he 
is  the  slave  of  horrible  superstitions.  He  is  wed- 
ded to  demon-worship.  He  sacrifices  young  boys 
to  the  shark,  his  maritime  deity.  Truly,  the  young 
Scotch  missionary  and  his  wife,  now  on  one  of  the 
vessels  lying  at  anchor  here,  who  have  come  to 
dwell  among  this  people,  will  need  Ahrahamic 
faith  in  God's  promises  as  they  labor  and  wait. 

There  is  no  stand.ird  of  exchange  in  the  New 


76        TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

Hebrides,  except  possibly  on  Fate,  as  we  have 
learned  by  observing  the  trading  at  different  ports. 
Demand  is  the  criterion  of  value  for  the  merchan- 
dize which  the  white  traders  bring.  Thus  it  is  not 
a  question  of  cost,  nor  of  excellence,  but  of  "  what 
is  the  fashion."  On  one  island  the  taste  may  run 
entirely  to  red  beads.  There  red  beads  will  be  had 
at  any  price.  On  Ambrym  you  perceive  only  the 
white  circlets  are  tolerated. 

We  land  amid  a  crowd  of  men  and  boys  gathered 
on  the  beach.  The  fine  clubs  in  the  hands  of  a  few 
evince  their  rank,  someone  remarks.  We  pass  on 
a  k\v  steps  to  meet  a  company  of  women,  who,  as 
we  drew  to  shore,  retreated,  in  order  to  scrutinize  us 
from  a  distance.  There  are  fifteen  or  twenty  in  the 
group.  Not  one  of  them  possesses  a  vestige  of 
beauty.  All  are  repulsive  looking  and  prema- 
turely old.  Unmistakably,  their  lives  have  been 
hard.  When  wc  think  what  might  be  done  to 
soften  the  expression  of  their  faces,  we  wish  we 
were  missionaries.  This  will  become  the  work  of 
gentle  Mrs.  Murray,  now  awaiting  the  completion 
of  her  home  on  the  shore,  a  little  beyond  us.  May 
she  have  a  long  life  in  which  to  do  it. 

The  hair  of  every  woman  is  cut  close,  and  the 
head  powdered  thickly  with  coral  lime — both  being 
sanitary  measures.  A  fringe  of  pandanus  leaves 
depending  from  the  hips  is  their  only  garment.  A 
light  rain  is  falling,  chilling  their  bare  shoulders. 
They  shrug  them,  shiver  vigorously,  and  move  off 


API,    AMBRVM,    ESPIRITU    SANTO.  7/ 

toward  their  village  of  comfortless  homes  not  far 
away.  These  are  mere  low  huts  with  the  roof 
brought  almost  to  the  ground,  and  are  entered  by 
crawling  on  the  hands  and  knees.  They  are 
shockingly  dirty.  Not  for  a  moment  can  we  breathe 
the  air  of  tiiem.  Instantly  we  are  reminded  of  an 
apartment  we  once  endeavored  to  enter,  in  the 
infirmary  of  a  thriving  county  town  in  Ohio.  It 
was  the  only  Jiomc  of  a  half  dozen  demented, 
friendless  men.  No  human  being  in  possession  of 
his  senses  could  have  lived  in  it  twenty-four  hours. 

The  correspondent  of  an  enterprising  Australian 
journal  thus  writes  of  Mr.  Murray,  who  is  about  to 
become  the  pastor  of  these  untutored  men  and 
women:  "The  young  divine  had  been  recently  or- 
dained at  Sydney,  upon  his  arrival  from  Scotland. 
He  looked  a  student,  like  one  used  to  burning  the 
midnight  oil.  In  a  civilized  community  I  should 
have  taken  him  to  be  a  man  of  sufficient  assurance. 
But  on  Ambrym,  with  his  cough  and  frail  consti- 
tution, I  was  afraid  he  w^ould  be  out  pf  place.  The 
immaculate  purity  of  his  shirt-front,  with  its  neat 
studs,  would  be  thrown  away  upon  the  savages. 

"My  sympathies  were  enlisted  for  the  young 
Scotch  lady,  his  wife,  who  was  burdened  with  a  babe 
two  months  old,  born  at  Aneitium.  I  did  not  think 
her  husband  a  man  who  would  be  of  much  service 
in  the  house,  and  with  only  its  roof  over  their  heads, 
they  would  have  a  hard  time.  Until  the  return  of 
the  Dayspring — the  missionary  ship  at  anchor  in 


78        TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

the  bay — six  months  hence,  they  would  be  entirely 
alone,  would  see  no  white  face  except  those  on  trad- 
ing and  labor  vessels,  and  such  men  they  had  been 
influenced  to  look  upon  as  enemies.  The  delicate 
young  minister  will  need  the  spirit  of  an  evangelist 
to  carry  him  through  the  first  twelve  months." 

The  same  wTiter  thus  refers  to  three  brother  mis- 
sionaries of  Mr.  Murray,  one  each  from  Tongoa, 
Nguna.and  Ancitium,  who  had  erected  Mr.  Murra)''s 
residence,  to  the  extent  of  getting  the  walls  up  and 
the  roof  on.  We  abridge  generously  :  "  The  three 
men  were  hard  at  work,  assisted  by  the  mate  of  the 
Dayspring.  They  had  been  thus  engaged  for  a 
month.  One  of  them  was  roofing  the  veranda,  in 
the  hot  sun,  and  had  a  hard  time  of  it.  In  their 
working  clothes  these  brethren  hardly  personated 
first-class  mechanics.  You  would  never  have  sup- 
posed that  Mr.  Milne,  who  was  doing  his  best  to 
make  a  lock  fit,  had  translated  the  gospels  of  Mat- 
thew and  John  direct  from  the  Greek  into  Ngunese,  a 
language  which,  if  he  had  not  invented,  he  had  per- 
petuated, for  he  was  the  only  white  man  who  under- 
stood it. 

"This  was  a  feat  of  learning  of  which  a  man 
might  well  be  proud.  But  there  came  the  question. 
To  what  good  was  all  this  waste  of  energy  and  eru- 
dition? There  are  only  nine  hundred  people  in  his 
parish — the  island  of  Nguna — who  speak  that  lan- 
fTuacre.  He  mi<jht  far  better  have  set  himself  to 
work  to  teach  them  ICnglish.  That  would  have 
opened  the  literature  of  the  world  to  them. 


API,    AMBRVM,    ESPIRITU    SANTO.  79 

"I  sat  on  a  tool-box,  watching  them  work.  Sev- 
eral native  Christians  from  Ancitium  had  been 
brought  up  to  assist  in  the  building,  but  they  were 
good  for  nothing,  except  to  do  mere  tiiflcs.  One 
would  have  thought  that  after  so  man\'  \-ears'  train- 
ing by  the  white  race  they  would  have  learned  some 
handicraft.     But  it  was  not  so. 

"The  residence  was  fairly  proportioned,  with  four 
windows,  and  a  door  in  front.  It  was  intended  to 
have  three  rooms.  At  present  there  were  but  two. 
Back  of  the  house  were  two  other  rooms,  one  for  a 
dining-room,  the  other  for  stores.  Near  at  hand 
was  a  grass  hut,  for  a  native  teacher  and  his  wife 
from  Aneitiuni,  w  ho  would  be  a  protection,  and  of 
some  assistance.  There  was  also  a  hut  for  goats, 
twelve  in  number,  to  furnish  sweet  flesh  and  fresh 
milk.  Cats,  fowls,  and  turkeys  were  yet  to  be  landed. 
The  house  was  unfinished,  and  I  was  surprised  to 
learn  that  the  Dayspring  was  to  leave  that  after- 
noon. The  stores  and  household  goods  of  the 
young  people  were  piled  up  confusedly  in  qne  cor- 
ner, and  I  could  not  help  sa\-ing, 'This  is  pretty 
rough  on  the  new  minister  antl  his  wife.'  '  I  Ic's  got 
the  roof  over  his  head.  We've  been  here  long 
enough,'  replied  the  brother  from  Aneitium." 

There  are  now  six  missionary  vessels  in  the  South 
Pacific,  the  Dayspring,  which  devotes  her  time,  at 
an  expense  of  seventeen  hundred  pounds  sterling 
per  annum,  to  the  Scotch  and  Nova  Scotia  missions 
in  the  New  Hebrides.     Her  work   is  to  call  at  all 


8o        TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

the  stations  twice  a  year,  to  carry  mails  and  supplies, 
to  convey  the  teachers  and  preachers  to  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  Synod,  held  at  Aneitium,  and  to  return 
them  to  their  homes;  the  Morning  Star,  which  minis- 
ters to  the  wants  of  the  American  missionaries 
throughout  the  Pacific;  the  John  Williams,  which 
looks  after  the  interests  of  the  London  missionary 
society  in  the  south  seas  ;  the  John  Wesley,  which 
aids  the  Wesleyans  in  the  Fijian  and  Tongan  groups ; 
the  Southern  Cross,  a  screw  steamer,  which  serves 
the  Church  of  England  missions  in  the  Banks,  Solo- 
mon, Santa  Cruz,  and  Swallow  groups;  the  Pitcairn, 
very  recently  sent  into  the  field  by  the  Seventh-day 
Adventists,to  increase  the  efficiency  of  their  missions 
on  the  island  of  Pitcairn,  in  Australia,  and  in  New 
Zealand;  and  the  Robert  W.  Logan,  which  acts  as 
a  tender  to  the  Morning  Star. 

We  pass  Espiritu  Santo  with  but  a  paragraph. 
The  island  was  discovered,  partially  explored,  and 
named  by  the  Spaniard,  De  Quiros,  in  1606.  He 
described  it  as  "a  land  of  gold,  silver,  and  precious 
stones ;  "  as  an  earthly  paradise,  with  a  climate  mild 
and  lovely.  He  found  upon  it  pigs,  fowls,  and 
goats,  supposed  to  have  been  introduced  long  years 
before  from  the  Malay  Peninsula.  One  of  its 
streams  he  named  the  River  Jordan,  a  title  it  still 
retains.  Espiritu  Santo  is  the  largest  and  most 
northern  island  of  the  New  Hebrides.  Its  length  is 
sixty-five  miles,  its  width  thirty-five.  It  is  the  least 
known  land  of  this  increasingly  important   group. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


THK  GREAT  VOLCANO  ON  TANNA. 

HE  distinguishing  feature  of  the  New  Heb- 
rides group  is  its  grand  volcanoes.  Cap- 
tain Cook  discovered  the  island  of  Tanna 
in  1777.  He  found  the  volcano  of  Yasur — the 
native  name — in  a  state  of  remarkable  activity.  He 
described  it  as  "  giving  out  a  great  light  and  throw- 
ing up  large  stones  at  regular  intervals  of  fi\e  or 
six  minutes,  with  a  noise  that  could  be  heard  forty- 
miles  away."  From  the  visit  of  the  famous  navi- 
gator to  this  day  the  huge  furnace  has  kept  up  its 
fires.  It  has  its  seasons  of  comparative  quiet,  and 
its  times  of  great  violence,  the  latter  occurring  dur- 
ing heavy  rains.  The  water  then  pours  into  its 
glowing  heart,  where  it  is  rapidly  converted  into 
steam,  and  adds  immensely  to  its  explosive  power, 
shaking  Tanna  mightily. 

According  to  the  native  fiiith,  a  mighty  demon, 
steadfastly  hostile  to  mankind,  inhabits  the  red-hot 
cavern,  and  utters  the  appalling  roars  which  come 

from  the  crater.     Someone  affirms  that  when  the 

•        .     .     .  - 

mountam  is  m   a  state   of  repose  for   some   tmie, 

earthquake  shocks  occur  in  New  Caledonia,  a  large 

island  under  French  domination,  l\'ing  some  three 

6  (81) 


82  TWO   CANNIBAL   ARCHIPELAGOES. 

hundred  miles  southwest  of  Tanna.  Since  earth- 
quakes are  much  more  destructive  than  eruptions 
from  the  volcano,  the  Tannese  are  very  glad  to 
witness  its  discharges  of  steam  and  hot  stones. 

Like  all  volcanoes,  Yasur  is  variable  in  its  action. 
A  glance  at  its  summit,  now,  discovers  a  mere  haze 
of  steam  arising.  An  hour  hence  a  dense  cloud  of 
smoke  may  be  climbing  toward  the  sky.  Before 
night  a  thick  black  canopy  may  conceal  its  top, 
while  a  steady  stream  of  dark  dust  will  flow  to  sea 
with  the  wind.  At  midnight  explosion  may  suc- 
ceed explosion,  attended  by  a  magnificent  display 
of  fire-works,  hot  lava,  and  fiery  stones,  mounting 
high  into  the  air,  only  to  drop  again  into  the 
agitated  interior.  It  is  said  that  the  explosions  ap- 
pear to  be  most  violent  at  high  tide.  This  has  led 
to  the  surmise  that  through  crevices  in  the  mountam 
and  in  caves  along  the  shore  the  sea  water  finds  its 
way  to  the  crater,  is  quickly  converted  into  steam, 
and  produces  a  great  commotion. 

Indeed,  Yasur  is  believed  to  extend  under-ground 
to  the  sea,  since  hot  springs  exist  along  the  shore 
for  a  long  distance,  and  from  them  to  the  crater 
lines  of  hot  steam  and  smoke,  freighted  with  sul- 
phur, escape  through  fissures  in  the  scorched 
ground.  Large  deposits  of  this  mineral  are  carried 
to  the  leeward  of  these  vents  by  the  wind.  In  time 
the  overflows  of  lava  from  Yasur  become  extremely 
fertile.  Yams  raised  upon  them  are  the  finest  in 
the   Pacific.     This  accounts  in  part   for   the  mul- 


THE  GREAT  VOLCANO  ON  TANNA.        S3 

titude  of  yam  gardens  in  its  neighborhood.  The 
people  are  tempted  to  plant  where  the  largest  har- 
vest can  be  reaped.  It  is  a  rash  step,  however,  for 
which  Vasur  does  not  always  punish  lightly.  Tlie 
heavy  showers  of  hot  dust  from  its  top  often  ruin 
the  crops  for  miles  around.  It  matters  not  with 
what  care  they  have  been  cultivated,  or  how  great 
is  the  promise  of  income,  suddenly  there  is  just 
the  right  change  of  wind,  and  the  parching  breath 
of  Yasur  kills  them.  Thus  the  result  of  months 
of  labor  is  destroyed.  The  next  year  the  planters 
will  live  on  cocoanuts.  The  Tannese  have  a  strong 
fear  of  the  demon  who  dwells  in  the  crater  of  Yasur. 

Formerly  there  was  some  trade  in  the  sulphur 
emitted  by  the  volcano,  which  sold  at  about  four 
dollars  per  ton.  But  the  earthquake  of  1878  de- 
stroyed the  road  leading  to  the  mountain,  render- 
ing transportation  of  the  mineral  very  difficult. 
The  traffic  was  therefore  abandoned.  Circum- 
-stances  forbidding  us  the  pleasure  of  a  visit  to  the 
crater,  we  epitomize  for  the  benefit  of  the  reader  Mr. 
Thomas'  extremely  wordy  account  of  his  trip  thither 
in  1 886. 

Our  guide,  Harry,  walked  behind.  We  skirted 
the  bright  bay  fur  some  time.  On  the  east  side 
were  the  boiling  springs,  under  the  rocks  upheaved 
by  the  great  earthquake.  At  high  tide  these  were 
covered,  but  at  low  water  they  bubbled  up  vigor- 
ously. The  water  was  hot  enough  to  burn  ni\' 
hands,  to  boil  yams,  or  to  scald  pigs.     When  the 


84  TWO   CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

tide  simply  covered  them,  the  temperature  was  de- 
lightful. That  was  the  time  for  the  maids  and  ma- 
trons to  assemble  there  to  bathe  and  to  chatter. 

At  the  extreme  end  of  the  bay  we  crossed  a 
broad  stretch  of  sandy  beach,  which  in  Captain 
Cook's  day  formed  the  bottom  of  the  harbor  and 
held  his  anchor.  The  earthquake  had  converted  it 
into  a  series  of  eligible  water  frontages,  but  with 
no  guaranteed  lease  from  Yasur.  Once  it  was  but 
a  pleasant  walk  to  the  summit,  which  is  scarcely 
seven  hundred  feet  high.  But  now  the  road  is  the 
worst  imaginable,  even  had  we  not  prolonged  the 
agony  by  losing  our  way.  For  two  hours  we 
mounted  up  through  the  thicket,  along  a  path  just 
wide  enough  for  one  person.  The  air  was  very  hot 
and  close.  Once  only  after  leaving  the  beach  did 
we  obtain  a  \icw  of  the  sea,  or  inhale  a  breath  of 
salt  air. 

The  soil  was  light  and  }'ielding,  and  made  our 
progress  the  more  fatiguing.  We  passed  many 
garden  patches,  but  never  caught  a  view  of  the 
natives.  Where  were  the  villages  at  which  we  had 
been  promised  escorts  ?  Where  were  the  green 
cocoanuts  which  were  to  quench  my  thirst?  I  verily 
believe  Harry,  our  leprous  guide,  led  us  by  out-of- 
the-way  paths,  that  he  himself  might  have  all  the 
reward.  Suddenly  he  stopped,  and  confessed  he 
had  lost  the  way.  A  little  rough  language  brought 
out  the  fact  that  he  had  never  before  been  over  the 
road.  I  wondered  what  would  be  his  market  value 
in  pigs,  should  I  take  his  life. 


THE  GREAT  VOLCANO  ON  TAXNA.        8$ 

On  he  went,  makint,^  a  long  detour,  when,  from  a 
cleared  space — all  sulphur  and  steam — we  dis- 
covered a  few  houses  on  the  cliff  above.  We 
climbed  thither  by  steps  cut  in  the  rocks,  and  I  be- 
gan to  understand  why  the  natives  lived  in  homes 
so  difficult  of  access.  They  could  be  easily  de- 
fended in  attacks  by  other  tribes.  They  were  the 
habitations  of  the  bushmen,  and,  if  possible,  were 
more  wretched  than  the  dwellings  of  the  salt-water 
tribes.  In  the  three  villages  we  passed  there  was 
not  a  soul  at  home,  so  we  could  fully  inspect  them. 
Harry  explained  the  conundrum  by  saying  it  was 
the  time  of  yam  planting,  and  that  all  the  men  who 
were  not  fighting  in  the  war  then  in  progress,  were 
with  the  women  and  children  at  the  gardens  nearer 
the  salt  water. 

Just  where  we  were  nothing  seemed  to  grow  to 
maturity.  In  view  of  that  Harry  volunteered: 
"  Bad  fellow,  Yasur.  Make  him  no  good  yam,  no 
good  nut."  A  few  tall,  weedy  cocoanuts  stood 
near,  but  when  my  rifle  brought  a  green  nut  to  the 
ground,  it  smashed  utterly,  being  very  soft.  We 
were  suffering  from  thirst.  At  last  Gottfrcy  found 
a  nut  containing  a  gill  of  water.  We  shared  it 
between  us. 

Having  gone  so  far  astray  in  our  reckoning,  the 
hills  on  which  we  stood  were  higher  than  the  vol- 
cano, and  we  had  to  l)e  guided  b\'  its  contimious 
roar.  0\\  \ve  went,  up  and  dmvn.  Hot  steam  rose 
under  our  feet  from  great  fissures  in  the  ground. 


86  TWO    CANNIBAL   ARCHII'ELAGOES. 

In  sore  need  of  a  guide,  Harry  shouted  until  he  was 
hoarse.  At  last  came  a  faint  reply.  Coming  nearer 
•  now,  the  voice  proved  to  be  that  of  "a  naked  little 
native" — a  youngster,  who  was  not  particularly 
frightened,  and  who  at  once  consented  to  guide 
us  to  the  foot  of  Yasur.  He  was  nicely  beha\ed. 
I  could  not  help  thinking  his  manners  were  far 
Superior  to  those  of  some  white  boys  who  might 
have  been  picked  up  in  England  or  in  the  Colonies, 
to  escort  a  party  of  foreigners  of  whose  language  he 
knew  not  a  word.  Yet  we  call  him  a  heathen.  I  le 
was  a  possible  cannibal. 

On  now,  through  more  deserted  villages,  the 
ground  cracking,  the  steam  bursting  out  freshly  and 
scalding  all  the  vegetation,  we  passed  into  a  deep 
dell  which  Yasur  had  overlooked.  High  banyan 
trees  overshadowed  us.  There  were  brilliant  crotons 
and  rare  ferns  in  perfectit)n.  Lizards,  mere  streaks 
of  shining  color,  darted  across  our  path.  Gorgeous 
butterflies  circled  above  our  heads.  In  a  few 
moments  it  was  all  o\er.  Desolation  followed.  All 
life  was  blighted.  The  bones  of  a  dead  pig  bleached 
on  a  bed  of  sulphur.  The  sjiring  of  water  beside 
the  path  was  poisonous.  All  nature  fought  life. 
Nothing  lived  thci-e  but  a  lin\'  flower,  as  great  a 
rarit}'  in  such  a  si;ot  as  the  little  idelwciss  growing 
amid  Alpine  snows. 

W'c  had  passed  several  old  craters.  The  ground 
beneath  our  feet  became  hollow.  There  was  yet  a 
half  mile   of  climbing.     The   measure  of  my  dis- 


THE  GREAT  VOLCANO  ON  TAXNA.        8/ 

satisfaction  was  full.  All  in  all,  it  was  an  uninter- 
esting jaunt.  On  we  stumbled,  with  the  roar  of 
Yasur,  more  and  more  threatening,  ringing  in  our 
ears.  Ashes  fell  all  around  us.  When  half-way  up 
the  cone,  both  natives  stopped  and  would  go  no 
further.  They  would  not  even  speak.  Harry  said, 
"No  good,  talk  here."  Both  glanced  furtively 
around  as  if  expecting  to  see  evil  spirits  spring 
upon  the  slope.  We  left  them,  and  they  retreated 
to  a  respectful  distance. 

At  last  we  were  on  the  sunnuit  of  Vasur.  l^cfore 
us  were  the  two  craters.  Ihnulrcds  of  feet  below 
seethed  the  molten  la\a.  liright  flames  shed  a 
frightful  glare  on  the  steam  and  smoke  which  filled 
the  cavern.  The  roar  was  perpetual,  and  the 
explosions  were  like  salvos  of  artillery.  The  ground 
quivered.  Away  to  leeward  was  a  pillar  of  smoke, 
a  shower  of  ashes  and  small  stones.  I  did  not  go 
to  the  edge  of  the  crater  and  drop  a  stone  in.  The 
ground  crumbling  beneath  our  feet  showetl  us  our 
danger  if  too  foolhardy.  The  air  was  fiery;  we 
were  covered  with  burning  dust.  To  breathe 
seemeil  to  scorch  our  lungs. 

I  tried  to  fi>rm  some  idea  of  the  extent  of  Vasur, 
but  it  was  impossible  to  see  to  the  other  side,  and 
impossible  to  see  to  the  bottom.  To  try  to  walk 
around  it  would  have  been  highly  dangerous.  The 
force  overshadowing  every  other  was  that  of  steam. 
Lumps  of  red-hot  scoria  were  blown  to  leeward, 
but   the   greater   proportion    of  rocks   and  stones 


88  TWO   CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

simply  fell  back  into  the  lava,  which  then  boiled  up 
like  molten  iron  in  a  blast  furnace. 

If  the  walk  to  the  top  of  Yasur  was  not  the  most 
inviting,  the  view  from  its  summit  was  lovely.  The 
scene  suggests  that  in  a  far  past  day  the  volcano 
was  separated  from  the  mainland.  A  large  lake  in 
the  center  of  the  plain  below  confirms  the  idea.  In 
times  of  flood  this  lake  is  said  to  overflow  through 
openings  in  the  volcano,  and  then  the  explosions 
increase.  The  water  of  this  lake  is  unfit  to  drink, 
and  the  superstitious  natives  say  it  is  the  abode  of 
great  black  demons,  who  eat  men.  Undoubtedly 
the  objects  seen  were  enormous  eels,  such  as  fre- 
quent the  lakes  of  New  Zealand.  The  lake  on 
Tanna  is  certainly  worth  a  visit.  Upon  re-entering 
the  path  to  the  village  which  was  the  home  of 
our  little  guide,  we  dismissed  him  with  a  reward,  to 
appease  his  parents  for  his  absence  from  the  even- 
ing meal.     I  was  very  much  pleased  with  the  lad. 

The  homeward  walk  to  Port  Resolution  will  ever 
remain  in  my  mind  as  a  hideous  dream.  Nono 
put  us  on  a  track  which  shortened  our  course  by  a 
mile  or  two,  but  ev^en  that  was  far  too  long.  The 
full  moon  shone  after  nightfall,  yet  the  wooded 
paths  were  dark  and  gloomy.  Sometimes  its  bright 
beams  cast  weird  shadows  across  the  path  we 
stumbled  along.  The  volcano  roared  and  groaned 
louder  than  ever.  Harry  kept  close  to  my  side, 
as  if  for  protection  from  the  evil  beings  he  supposed 
to   be   abroad  at    night.      Indeed,    in    the    lonely 


THE  GREAT  VOLCANO  ON  TANNA. 


89 


thicket,  in  the  strange  shadows,  in  the  loud  ex- 
plosions at  the  volcano,  and  in  the  glare  which  its 
flames  threw  athwart  the  sky,  there  was  enough  to 
impress  the  native  mind.  At  last  we  reached  Port 
Resolution,  and  took  a  long  draught  of  pure  spring 
water,  which  was  like  nectar  to  our  throats,  parched 
by  the  hot  dust  of  Yasur, 


iyr>)V,tin.^^ 


i 


CHAPTER  VII. 

AWAY  TO  THE  SOLOMON  ISLES. 

.A 

►HE  Solomon  Islands  form  one  of  the  most 

extensive,  and  in  some  respects  one  of  the 
most  interesting,  groups  in  the  Southwest- 
ern Pacific.  They  were  among  the  first  discovered 
in  that  part  of  the  island  world.  Yet,  owing  to  a 
series  of  peculiar  circumstances,  they  have  until 
quite  recently  been  the  least  known  of  the  larger 
groups  of  the  great  ocean.  For  over  two  hundred 
years  after  their  discovery  all  knowledge  of  them 
was  lost  to  the  world.  But  we  shall  consider  that 
point  a  little  later.  The  connnander  of  our  trim 
craft  remarks  that  at  the  rate  we  are  flying  along 
before  this  .stiff  trade  wind  we  shall  touch  the 
group  to-morrow  morning  about  sunrise. 

This  will  bring  first  into  view  the  lofty  i.sland  of 
Guadalcanar,  with  tropical  Malaita  on  our  right, 
and  beautiful  St.  Christoval  on  our  left.  Let  us, 
therefore,  now  gather  all  the  general  information 
possible  about  the  long-lost  group.  There  is  the 
captain  trying  to  make  out  that  strange  sail  ofT 
the  coast  of  St.  Christoval.  The  man  has  never  been 
heard  to  sa\',  "  I  wish  passengers  would  not  annoy 
me   with  questions,"  so  we    need  not    hesitate  to 

(93) 


94        TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

take  seat  beside  him  and  begin  our  queries.  The 
facts  he  gives  we  will  arrange  according  to  a  plan 
of  our  own. 

We  learn  that  the  Solomon  Archipelago  em- 
braces seven  large  islands  and  a  multitude  of 
smaller  ones.  They  form  two  chains,  called  the 
Eastern  and  Western  Solomons.  Like  the  New 
Hebrides,  they  extend  from  southeast  to  north- 
west, a  distance  of  over  six  hundred  miles.  Every 
large  island  of  the  group  extends  in  the  same  direc- 
tion. They  deck  the  ocean  some  four  hundred  miles 
northeast  of  the  great  island  of  New  Guinea,  and 
lie  five  hundred  miles,  perhaps,  northwest  of  the 
New  Hebrides.  The  islands  of  Malaita,  Isabel, 
Choiseul,  and  Bougainville,  with  their  rich  attend- 
ants, form  the  eastern  series,  while  New  Georgia, 
Guadalcanar,  and  St.  Christoval,  with  their  groups 
of  smaller  islands,  constitute  the  western  chain. 

The  larger  islands  vary  in  length  from  seventy 
to  one  hundred  miles,  and  in  breadth  from  twenty 
to  thirty  miles.  The  smaller  ones  range  from  tiny 
coral  islets  to  lands  twenty  miles  in  extent.  All 
the  larger  bodies  are  mountainous,  two  of  them, 
Bougainville  and  Guadalcanar,  attaining  a  height  of 
ten  thousand  feet.  Many  of  the  islands  are  largely 
volcanic.  Others  are  formed  chiefly  of  limestone. 
St,  Christoval,  over  four  thousand  feet  high,  is  an 
example  of  the  first  class,  being  formed  of  highly- 
crystallized  volcanic  rock.  Several  of  the  volcanoes 
have   been    active   within    recent    years.     Notably 


AWAY   TO   THE   SOLOMON    ISLES.  95 

that  on  the  island  of  Save,  now  quiescent,  has  been 
in  eruption  within  the  memory  of  hving  men. 
When  the  Peruvian  Spaniards,  led  by  Mendana, 
discovered  the  Solomons,  in  i  568,  Savo  was  in  a 
state  of  great  excitement.  To-day  most  of  the 
craters,  except  that  of  Mount  Bagana,  in  the  interior 
of  Bougainville,  appear  to  be  slumbering  soundly, 

A  few  of  the  islands,  particularly  Bougainville 
and  New  Georgia,  are  in  part  modern  upheavals, 
but  most  of  them  are  supposed  to  be  of  great 
antiquity.  On  some,  especially  the  principal  island 
of  the  Shortland  cluster,  in  Bougainville  Strait,  the 
volcanic  deposit  has  furnished  a  soft  foundation  upon 
which  has  been  erected  line  after  line  of  wonderful 
barrier  reef.  The  remarkable  upraised  atoll  of 
Santa  Anna  affords  an  illustration  in  point.  There 
is  first  the  submerged  volcanic  peak.  Above  that 
lies  the  soft  deposit,  resembling  a  deep-sea  clay, 
and  supposed  to  have  been  formed  at  a  depth  of 
fifteen  hundred  fathoms.  Upon  these  rests  the  ring 
of  coral  limestone,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet 
in  depth.  There  are  other  islands  whose  s/o/>rs 
only  are  inc rusted  with  the  skillful  work  of  the 
coral  insect. 

There  are  few  true  atolls  in  the  great  group,  and 
these  are  small  in  size.  But  fringing  and  barrier 
reefs  are  frequent.  Fronting  the  eastern  coasts  of 
New  Georgia  is  a  most  striking  line  of  barrier  reef 
nearly  sixty  miles  in  length  and  dotted  with  innu- 
merable islets.     The  reef  lies  from  one  to  three  miles 


96        TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

from  shore.  Also,  off  the  beautiful  island  of  Isa- 
bel are  extensive  reefs  of  the  same  class,  with  a 
broad,  deep-water  channel  between  them  and  the 
mainland.  Likewise,  a  similar  barrier  skirts  the 
southern  coast  of  Choiseul.  And  the  Shortland 
cluster — named  in  honor  of  Lieutenant  .Shortland, 
their  discoverer — is  entirely  surrounded  by  a  vast 
barrier  reef,  inside  which  the  frailest  shell  of  a 
canoe  may  be  used  with  perfect  safety.  But  out- 
side, nearer  and  nearer  roll  the  long  ocean  swells, 
lifting  their  crests  higher  and  higher  in  the  air, 
until,  gracefully  arching  at  the  top,  they  fall  in  a 
mass  of  white  foam,  and  break  with  a  tremendous 
roar  upon  the  pinnacled  coral. 

A  remarkable  feature  of  the  Solomon  group  is 
the  deep  channels  by  which  the  larger  islands  are 
separated.  St.  Christoval,  for  instance,  is  cut  off 
from  its  neighbors,  Malaita  and  Guadalcanar,  by 
a  passage  whose  bottom  a  line  of  two  hundred 
fathoms  fails  to  find.  According  to  Lieutenant  Old- 
ham, depths  of  four  hundred  fathoms  are  no  rarity 
in  the  different  straits.  Of  course,  mighty  currents 
sweep  through  some,  if  not  all,  of  these  profound 
waters,  rendering  their  navigation  extremely  dan- 
gerous. 

The  total  land  area  of  the  archipelago  is  esti- 
mated to  be  fifteen  thousand  square  miles.  The 
islands  are  covered  in  large  part  from  shore  to  sum- 
mit with  tropical  vegetation,  dense,  rank,  and  beau- 
tiful.    Fig   trees,  bread-fruit   trees,  and    cocoanut 


AWAV    TO    TUK    SOLOMON    ISLES.  9/ 

palms  grace  the  forests,  the  latter  fringing  the 
beach  also,  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  villages. 
The  mountains  of  Choiseul  fall  sheer  into  the  sea. 
Its  northeast  portion  presents  a  lofty,  heavily-wooded 
plain.  In  St.  Christoval  the  forest-clad  mountains 
are  separated  by  deep,  fertile  valleys.  In  the  north- 
ern part,  noble  spurs,  starting  from  the  interior,  run 
down  to  the  sea,  and  terminate  in  bold  headlands 
eight  hundred  or  a  thousand  feet  high,  while  in  the 
south  they  form  and  shelter  the  deep-water  bays. 

On  the  small  but  elevated  island  of  Florida — in 
Indispensable  Strait — there  are  broad,  undulating 
acres  of  grass  land,  beautified  with  fine  groves  of 
trees.  Patches  of  cultivated  land  surround  the  \il- 
lages,  and  the  ample  hill-side  plantations  proclaim 
the  wealth  of  the  soil.  South  o(  picturesque  Choi- 
seul lies  the  minute,  cliff-encircled  islet  of  Simba — 
the  Eddystone  of  Lieutenant  Shortland — contain- 
ing a  crater  twelve  hundred  feet  above  the  sea.  On 
its  side  are  two  remarkable  boiling  springs,  one  of 
the  many  wonders  of  the  group.  The  little  gem  is 
inhabited,  and  has  a  safe  harbor  for  shipping. 

The  most  interesting  things  about  any  country 
are  its  people,  liistory, and  fi)rm  of  govcrnuiciit.  In 
this  chai)ter  we  shall  mcrel)'  mention  the  inhabitants 
of  the  Solomon  Isles,  leaving  to  subsccjuent  pages 
an  account  of  their  characteristics  and  modes  of 
life,  while  we  here  notice  their  mode  of  govern- 
ment, and  trace  their  history  from  the  discovery  of 
the  archipelago,  three  hundred  and  twenty  years 
acfo. 


98        TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

Omitting  the  natives  on  Bellona  and  Rcnnel  Isl- 
ands, in  the  southern  part  of  the  group,  and  those 
of  the  cluster  called  Ontong-Java,  in  the  northeast, 
who  are  said  to  be  pure  Polynesians,  the  Solomon 
islanders  are  a  small,  sturdy,  well-proportioned 
branch  of  the  Melanesian  race.  The  men  average 
over  fi\e  feet  in  height,  the  women  less  than  five 
feet.  Their  dark  eyes  are  hidden  away  under 
projecting  brows.  Their  noses  are  short,  cither 
straight  or  arched,  and  always  low  at  the  root.  The 
lips  are  thick  ;  the  chin  recedes.  Upon  the  whole, 
the  general  expression  of  the  face  is  pleasant.  Their 
skin  varies  from  a  copper  hue  to  a  brownish  black, 
with  the  darker  shades  predominating.  The  hair  is 
naturally  dark,  yet  it  is  often  dyed  a  red  or  a  fawn 
color.  Inclining  to  be  woolly,  it  usually  hangs  in  a 
mop  of  ringlets,  or  is  dressed  in  a  full  bushy  circlet, 
which  imparts  to  the  wearer  a  very  striking  appear- 
ance. This  seems  to  be  a  favorite  style  for  both 
men  and  women.  On  the  islands  in  Bougainville 
Strait,  however,  are  found  tribes  ha\ing  a  very 
dark  skin,  with  black  hair,  almost  straight.  The 
coast  tribes  are  deemed  to  be  especially  intelligent. 
They  are  of  a  quick,  nervous  temperament,  but  are 
crafty,  thievish,  and  revengeful,  and  }-et  are  very  ap- 
preciative of  kindness.  As  in  the  New  Hebrides, 
there  resides  in  the  mountainous  interiors  a  less 
gifted  race,  against  which  the  maritime  tribes  wage 
unrelenting  warfare. 

In  most  of  the  Solomons  the  system  of  govern 


AWAY    TO    THE    SOLOMON    ISLES.  99 

meiit  is  a  hereditary  chieftainship,  such  as  prevails 
in  most  other  archipelagoes  of  the  Pacific.  Some 
of  the  larger  lands  are  divided  among  many  chiefs, 
each  claiming  to  be  independent  of  the  others. 
There  may  be  as  many  rulers,  indeed,  as  there  are 
villages.  This  is  true,  also,  of  some  small  islands,  as 
Ugi  and  Santa  Anna.  Yet  occasionally  there  lives 
a  chief  who,  in  consequence  of  his  wealth,  or  the 
number  of  his  warriors,  assumes  a  degree  of  au- 
thority over  the  less-favored  chiefs  near  him.  Tiie 
present  sovereign  of  the  Shortland  Isles  is  an  ex- 
ample in  point.  The  map  shows  this  cluster,  King 
at  the  southeast  entrance  of  Iiougain\  ille  Strait. 
I  lis  dominion  embraces  not  onl\- the  islets  of  this 
large  channel,  but  also  the  adjacent  coasts  of  Bou- 
gainville and  Choiseul  Islands,  and  includes  also  the 
island  of  Bouka,  over  one  hundred  miles  distant. 

In  some  instances  a  small  island  has  become  the 
capital  of  a  large  surrf)unding  district.  The  cliff- 
bound  island  of  Simba,  w  ith  some  other  territory, 
is  under  the  s\va\-  of  a  powerful  chi(.Tt.iin,  u  ho,  to- 
gether with  "most  of  his  fighting  men,"  dwells  on 
an  islet  off  its  southeast  coast.  He  is  said  to  be  a 
man  of  enterprising  character,  of  remarkabl)' robust 
l)hysi([ue,  and  one  of  the  most  t\rannical  lords  of 
the  archipelago. 

On  the  19th  of  November,  1567,  Alvaro  de  Men- 
dana,  commanding  a  fleet  of  two  ships — the  Almi- 
ranta  and  the  Capitana — sailed  out  of  the  port  of 
Callao,  Peru,  "on  a  voyage  of  discovery  among  the 


lOO       TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

archipelagoes  of  the  Pacific."  Menclana's  company, 
including  the  officers,  servants,  soldiers,  crew,  and 
four  Franciscan  friars,  numbered  one  hundred  souls. 
He  sailed  westerly  for  eighty-two  days,  encounter- 
ing severe  rains  and  heavy  fogs.  On  the  9th  of 
February,  1568,  he  discovered  a  large  island  of  the 
Eastern  Solomons,  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of 
Santa  Isabel.  Camba  was  the  name  given  to  it  by 
the  natives. 

Referring  to  their  cautious  approach  to  the  har- 
bor, on  account  of  the  dangerous  coral  reefs,  Gal- 
lego,  the  chief  pilot  of  the  fleet,  and  the  graphic 
historian  of  the  voyage,  wrote :  "  Committing  our- 
selves to  God,  I  sent  a  man  aloft  to  the  forctop  and 
placed  another  on  the  bowsprit,  admonishing  them 
to  notice  where  the  shoals  were  white.  The  sound- 
ing lead  was  kept  in  hand,  and,  in  the  event  of  our 
having  to  come  about  to  anchor,  we  stood  by  the 
sheets  and  bowlines  and  had  the  anchor  cleared. 
Juan  Enriguez,  whom  I  had  sent  out  to  find  a  har- 
bor, had  not  yet  reached  the  shore.  As  the  Capi- 
tana  proceeded,  I  sounded  and  got  twelve  fathoms, 
with  a  clear  bottom.  Still  further  on  it  was  deeper 
and  clear  of  rocks. 

"  Although  it  was  midday,  a  star  now  appeared 
to  us  over  the  entrance  of  the  reef.  Taking  it  as 
a  guide  and  a  good  omen,  we  were  cheered,  and 
became  more  hopeful.  As  we  proceeded,  the 
water  deepened  little  by  little,  and  I  informed  the 
eeneral  that  we  were    clear  of  the    reefs.     I  then 


AWAY   TO    THE    SOLOMON    ISLES.  lOI 

signaled  the  Almiratita  to  follow  us.  Aswc  nearcd 
the  harbor,  which  the  boat  had  now  entered,  En- 
riguez  signaled  us  that  he  had  found  a  good  an- 
chorage. Presently  we  entered,  with  the  star  over 
our  bow,  and  anchored,  the  Almiranta  entering 
shortly  afterward.  We  named  the  harbor  Port 
Santa  Isabel  del  Estrella — Saint  Isabel  of  the  Star." 

Most  happy  and  grateful  were  these  men,  after 
their  long  and  anxious  voyage,  to  find  themselves  in 
a  capacious  port,  where  they  could  land  and  obtain 
food  and  water.  We  append  Gallego's  description 
of  the  inhabitants  of  Isabel  Island,  written  three 
hundred  years  ago,  but  just  as  applicable  to  its  in- 
habitants to-day: — 

"  These  people  are  tawny,  and  have  crisp  hair. 
They  go  naked,  wearing  only  short  aprons  of  palm 
leaves.  They  luue  as  food  plent)-  of.fish  and  snn\c 
maizes,  or  roots,  which  they  call  benaus.  They 
are,  in  my  opinion,  a  clean  race,  and  I  am  certain 
they  eat  human  flesh." 

The  following  paragraphs  contain  the  chief  pilot's 
reason  for  thinking  that  they  ate  human  flesh: — 

The  Spaniards  appear  to  lia\e  taken  possession 
of  the  shore  on  which  they  landed,  and  of  the 
woods  adjacent,  for  the  purpose  of  building  a  small 
vessel  in  which  to  cruise  among  the  islands,  with- 
out so  much  as  saying  to  the  natives,  "With  }-our 
permission.'"  Yet  the  latter  seem  to  have  taken 
this  incursion  \er\'  amicably,  for  on  the  15th  of 
March,  while  the  Spaniards  were  celebrating  mass 


I03  T\\0    CANNIBAL    AKCII  irF.LAGOES, 

on  shore,  there  arrived  at  the  spot  where  the  brig- 
aiitiiie  was  building,  a  fleet  of  fourteen  canoes,  com- 
nianded  by  the  chief  of  the  district. 

Immediately  he  sent  to  Mendana,  as  a  present, 
"a  quarter  of  a  boy,  including  the  arm  and  hand," 
together  with  some  edible  roots,  politely  requesting 
him  to  accept  them.  In  order  to  impress  them 
with  the  fact  that  the  Spaniards  did  not  eat  human 
flesh,  the  officer  in  command  ordered  the  fragment 
of  the  boy  to  be  buried  in  their  presence.  There- 
upon the  chief  and  his  people  looked  confused, 
hung  their  heads,  and  departed  to  an  islet  at  the 
entrance  of  the  harbor.  The  chief,  whose  name 
was  Meta,  resided  some  fifteen  leagues  from  the  port. 

The  brigantine  completed,  the  strangers  voyaged 
to  and  fro  among  the  Solomons,  landing  upon  and 
taking  formal  possession  of  nearly  every  important 
island  of  the  group,  except  Bougainville,  from 
Isabel  eastward,  giving  names  to  them,  and  to  a 
multitude  of  smaller  ones.  They  killed  at  least  one 
hundred  natives,  in  conflicts  which  the  Spaniards 
themsehcs  sometimes  provoked,  and  aroused  on  all 
the  islands  such  a  degree  of  enmity  and  excitement 
that  the  natives  effectually  concealed  their  provis- 
ions, compelling  their  cruel  visitors  to  begin  the 
return  voyage  to  Peru — August  li,  1568 — with 
insufficient  supplies  of  food  and  water. 

The  strangers  spent  six  months  industriously  ex- 
ploring the  group,  and  reached  home  the  last  week 
of  June,  1569.     Their  vo}'age  proved  to  be  one  of 


AWAY   TO    THE    SOLOMON    ISLES.  IO3 

such  danger,  privation,  and  suffering  as  often  to  ap- 
pall the  bravest  souls  among  them.  They  lived 
through  storms  such  as  even  the  intrepid  Gallego 
had  never  witnessed  in  his  nearl}-  half  a  century  of 
nautical  experience. 

For  two  hundred  years  after  the  Spaniards  with- 
drew from  Santa  Isabel,  all  certain  knowledge  of 
their  rich  discovery  was  hidden  from  the  world. 
It  was  even  doubted  if  such  a  group  as  the  "  Isles 
of  Solomon  "  existed.  It  is  said  that  Mendana 
gave  this  name  to  the  group  in  the  hope  that  his 
countrymen,  "supposing  them  to  be  the  islands 
from  which  King  Solomon  obtained  his  gold  for 
adorning  the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  might  be  induced 
to  colonize  them." 

In  July,  1767,  just  two  centuries  after  Mendana's 
visit,  the  Solomon  Islands  were  rediscovered  by 
the  English  navigator  Carteret,  who  was,  however, 
ignorant  of  the  fact.  He  appears  to  have  simply 
descried  several  members  of  the  group,  without 
landing  upon  any  one  of  them.  A  year  later  the 
French  voyager  Bougain\ille  entered  this  then 
mysterious  portion  of  the  Pacific,  made  the  west 
coast  of  lo\cl\'  C'hoiscul  Island,  sailed  through  the 
fine  strait  which  now  bears  his  name,  coasted  the 
east  shore  of  Bougainville  Island,  and  passed  away 
from  the  Solomons  at  the  island  of  Bouka,  appar- 
ently not  dreaming  that  he  had  fonntl  the  long-lost 
archipelago  of  Mendana. 

About  this  time  the  old  .stories  conccrninLT  the 


I04       TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

extent,  wealth,  and  beauty  of  the  famous  isles  began 
to  revive  with  vigor,  luring  into  that  quarter  of  the 
Pacific  navigators  sailing  under  the  ensigns  of 
France,  Spain,  and  England.  All  of  them  con- 
tributed to  the  rediscovery  of  the  group,  but  none 
of  them  were  aware  of  the  fact.  Finally,  near  the 
close  of  the  last  century,  certain  French  geogra- 
phers, studying  the  subject  in  their  libraries,  fully 
identified  the  discoveries  of  Bougainville,  M.  de 
Surville,  Maurelle,  and  Shortland,  with  the  cele- 
brated Isles  of  Solomon.  And  to-day,  ships  from 
every  land  visit  the  archipelago  in  the  interest  of 
trade,  travel,  scientific  exploration,  or  missionary 
enterprises. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

TIIK   ISLAND  OV   GUADALCAXAR. 

E  arc  lip  with  the  dawn,  scarcliing  tlie  dis- 
f^^M^  tancc  for  the  massive  front  of  Guadalcanar. 
^P^^  The  whole  eastern  sky  is  I'adiant  with  )el- 
low  light.  Myriads  of  wavelets  on  the  sea  are 
tipped  with  gold.  Occasionally  a  swift  bird  flits 
through  the  space  before  us.  Otherwise  there  is  a 
deep  quiet  on  the  great  sea.  The  breeze  is  soft 
and  rather  humid,  but  very  invigorating.  One  feels 
as  if  he  could  live  a  hundred  years.  Forgotten  is 
the  discomfort  of  our  pent-uj)  berth  and  of  our 
narrow  home  on  the  sea. 

"There!"  suddenly  exclaims  the  keen-eyed  cap- 
tain. We  know  what  he  means,  and  turn  our  glass 
toward  the  west.  Look  now!  Is  there  a  finer 
coast  scene  in  all  the  Pacific  than  those  bold  heatl- 
lands  of  Guadalcanar?  Huge  mountain  masses 
rise  directly  out  of  the  sea  to  a  height  of  fi\e  and 
eight  thousand  feet.  Mount  Tammas,  named  by 
Lieutenant  Shortland,  is  the  highest  p<Mnt.  Most 
of  the  lofty  peaks  are  Jiidden  by  cloutls  ready  to 
pour  down  the  rain.  Now  and  then  a  sharp  cone 
is  seen  abo\e  the  mist.  "The  heaviest  raiiifiil  in 
the  Solomon  group  takes  place  on  the  eastern  and 

(  105  ) 


I06       TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

southern  steeps  of  Guadalcanar."  The  march  of 
the  vapor-laden  trade  wind  meets  with  little  ob- 
struction as  it  drives  acro;.s  the  northern  end  of 
St.  Christoval,  and,  arriving  from  over  a  vast  ex- 
tent of  sea,  beats  square  against  these  cyclopean 
walls,  and  day  after  day  pours  upon  them  a  deluge 
of  water.  Along  all  that  massive  face  of  sea  wall, 
it  is  said,  there  is  not  a  rift  in  the  rock,  not  a 
narrow  ravine,  nor  an  open  valley  which  serves  as  a 
door  of  escape  for  the  rushing  wet  air.  Terrific, 
therefore,  is  the  downpour  on  Guadalcanar's  precip- 
itous sides.  The  amount  is  three  or  four  times 
that  deposited  on  the  less-elevated  shores. 

It  is  Gallego  who  wrote :  "  The  island  of  Gua- 
dalcanar is  very  large.  I  cannot  estimate  its  size, 
because  it  is  a  great  land,  and  half  a  year  is  needed 
to  sail  along  its  shores."  Those  Spaniards  saw 
many  things  in  their  "Isles  of  Solomon"  through 
spectacles  which  magnified  immensely.  Guadal- 
canar is  about  eighty  miles  in  length  and  thirty  in 
width.  It  is  in  the  southern  portion  particularly 
that  nature  has  worked  on  a  gigantic  plan;  not  only 
are  the  cliffs  and  cones  steep  and  lofty,  but  the  sea, 
which  dashes  against  the  rocky  mass,  is  of  great 
depth  close  to  the  shore.  In  this  part  of  the  island 
there  are  no  good  anchorages.  The  northern  coast, 
on  the  contrary,  slopes  more  gradually  to  the  sea, 
several  small  islands  near  by  protecting  it  from  the 
powerful  swells  of  the  ocean.  There  are  numerous 
.safe  roadsteads,  to  which  the  entrance  is  both  free 
and  picturesque. 


THE    ISLAND    OF    GUADALCANAK.  lO/ 

About  midway  of  the  northern  coast  a  rich 
alluvial  territory  from  five  to  ten  miles  wide  bor- 
ders the  sea  for  a  distance  of  thirty  miles.  It  is 
composed  of  debris  from  the  mountains,  brought 
down  by  the  rivers  in  times  of  flood.  Also,  scat- 
tered here  and  there,  arc  park-like  areas,  mantled 
only  with  a  tall,  coarse  grass.  These  form  a  pleas- 
ant contrast  to  the  luxuriant  forests  clothing  the 
remainder  of  the  island. 

As  one  would  expect  from  the  great  rainfall,  the 
streams  of  Guadalcanar,  though  short,  are  numer- 
ous, and  in  the  wet  season  are  powerful  torrents. 
Mr.  Charles  WY^odford  gives  us  this  little  glimpse 
of  one  of  them  in  the  dry  term:  "At  my  feet  winds 
the  Aola  River,  in  alternate  phases  a  clear,  calm 
pool  and  a  brawling  rapid.  But  it  soon  becomes 
lost  among  the  trees,  and  I  try  in  vain  to  trace  its 
course  among  the  forest-clad  valleys." 

The  run  up  Indispensable  Strait  gave  us  much 
pleasure,  and  very  soon  after  entering  the  port  wc 
were  temporarily  housed  at  the  natixe  village  of 
Aola,  with  all  our  faculties  awake  t(^  the  sights, 
sounds,  and  people  around  us.  Some  author  we 
have  picked  up,  j^erhaps  it  is  Mr.  Woodford,  tells 
us  that  the  longer  he  lived  among  the  natives  of 
Guadalcanar  the  more  he  became  conscious  of 
possessing  merely  a  superficial  knowledge  of  them 
and  of  their  customs.  If  that  be  so,  we  shall  proba- 
learn  very  little  about  them  during  our  short  so- 
journ.     Mr.  Woodfortl   spent   nine    months   at  this 


lo8       TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

attractive  spot,  but  his  time  and  interest  were  ab- 
sorbed in  the  phmts,  birds,  hzards,  and  snakes  of 
the  island. 

But  notice  the  three  natives  —  some  of  earth's 
smoke-colored  children  —  who  are  approaching. 
The  faces  of  all  are  tattooed.  The  skin  being  very- 
dark,  coloring  matter  is  rarely  used  to  develop  the 
designs,  as  upon  the  lighter-hued  peoples  of  the 
Eastern  Pacific.  The  raised  scars  produced  by  the 
incisions  reveal  the  pattern.  The  process  of  tat- 
tooing, as  practiced  on  Guadalcanar,  is  not  only 
painful  but  expensive.  Like  all  artists,  the  profes- 
sional tattooer  appreciates  his  acquirements,  and 
does  not  work  simply  for  yams  and  taro.  This 
strange  sort  of  embroidering  is  usually  done  in 
childhood,  while  the  skin  is  delicate,  and  not  every 
little  one's  parents  or  friends  can  provide  the  requi- 
site fee  for  the  adornment.  Hence  we  shall  not  find 
all  the  Guadalcanar  j)cople  so  elaborately  cicatriced. 
The  work  is  a  sort  of  gauge  of  the  family  fortune. 

As  his  instrument  in  tattooing,  the  artist  uses  the 
sharp  claw  of  the  flying  fox.  One  of  his  merciful 
conditions  before  beginning  the  work  is  that  the 
child  shall  not  be  permitted  to  sleep  for  two  or  three 
nights  prior  to  his  taking  him  in  hand.  The  child 
being  then  prostrated  from  weariness,  the  operator 
begins  his  task,  and  ends  it  at  one  sitting.  The  little 
innocent  is  now  in  a  state  of  high  nervous  excite- 
ment. His  face  is  terribly  inflamed  and  swollen. 
If  his  home  be  near  the  sea,  a  little  cavity  is  made 


THE    ISLAND    OF    GUADALCAXAR.  lOQ 

for  him  in  the  sand,  close  to  the  water's  edge. 
Here  he  Hes  on  his  chest  and  occasionally  dips  his 
face  into  the  coolini^  water.  After  three  or  four 
days  of  such  soothing  he  finds  himself  quite  re- 
stored. 

Observe  that  this  man  wears  a  mop-like  wig,  pow- 
dered thickly  with  lime,  a  sanitary  measure,  we  pre- 
sume. All  carry  a  small  bag  over  the  shoulder,  the 
contents  of  which  are :  One  or  two  sticks  of  tobacco, 
a  clay  pipe  giving  out  an  intolerable  odor,  a  box  of 
matches,  several  areca  nuts  for  chewing,  a  small 
package  of  betel-pepper  leaves,  a  pretty  bamboo 
box  filled  with  lime  used  in  chewing  the  betel,  a 
pair  of  cockle  shells  employed  as  tweezers,  a  scraper 
of  pearl  shell  for  scraping  cocoanuts,  and  a  cocoa- 
nut  spoon  for  eating  a  paste  or  soup  compounded 
of  scraped  yam,  cocoanut,  and  several  other  vege- 
tables. With  these  possessions  on  the  person,  a 
Guadalcanar  man  or  woman  is  ready  for  any  fort- 
une, in  storm  or  calm,  in  the  forest,  in  the  \Mm 
gardens,  anywhere. 

The  man's  only  attire  is  the  bandage  about  the 
waist.  The  women  are  clad  in  a  deep  fringe  of  fiber 
resembling  hemp,  and  look  suitably  dressed  for  the 
climate. 

You  observed  that  about  eight  o'clock  this  uKirn- 
ing,  after  their  light  breakfast  of  baked  yams,  both 
the  men  and  the  women  of  the  village  left  for  the 
yam  gardens,  situated  in  the  forest,  some  four  miles 
from  Aola.     About  three  in  the  afternoon  we  shall 


no  TWO    CANNIBAL    ARCHIPELAGOES. 

find  the  women  returning.  They  will  come  in, 
some  staggering  under  the  weight  of  large  baskets 
of  yams,  and  others  under  that  of  huge  bundles  of 
fire-wood.  During  the  day  the  men  have  probably 
taken  a  variety  of  game — birds,  opossums,  flying 
foxes,  etc.  These  will  not  be  brought  home,  but, 
having  arrived  at  some  suitable  place,  the  captors 
will  build  a  fire,  and  there  cook  and  eat  them.  The 
weary  women,  meanwhile,  will  wend  their  way 
homeward  to  prepare  their  evening  meal. 

The  evening  repast  is  taken  about  six  o'clock. 
It  consists  of  yam,  boiled  or  baked,  of  taro  or  sauce, 
some  variety  of  plantain  served  in  wooden  bowls,  and 
a  compound  of  scraped  yam,  cocoanut,  and  other 
ingredients  simmered  together  by  means  of  hot 
stones.  Animal  food  seems  to  be  plentiful,  since 
game  is  abundant,  and  edible  fish  crowd  the  sea. 
The  pig  is  domesticated  on  the  island,  but  is  eaten 
only  on  occasions  of  great  ceremony.  In  America 
these  animals  are  slain  by  bleeding  them  to  death. 
But  the  Guadalcanar  butcher  beats  them  until  life 
is  extinct.  He  adopts  this  mode  in  order  to  retain 
all  the  blood.  When  skinned,  if  there  is  a  company 
to  be  served,  the  body  is  simply  heated  through 
over  a  brisk  fire,  and  is  then  cut  up  and  distributed 
to  those  present.  Each  person  then  completes  the 
cooking  according  to  his  taste.  The  pig  of  the 
Solomon  Isles  is  a  flat-sided,  round-backed  species, 
rarely  exceeding  three  feet  in  length.  They  are 
found  in  various  colors — black,  light  gray,  and  red 


THE    ISLAND    OF    GUADALCANAR.  I  I  I 

spotted  with  black.  The  young  pigs  are  striped. 
Mendana  found  the  animal  in  these  isles,  therefore 
it  was  not  introduced  by  the  Spaniards,  as  so  many 
writers  have  affirmed. 

The  subject  of  land  tenure  on  the  island  of 
Guadalcanar  should  claim  our  attention  for  a 
moment.  The  system — if  system  it  may  be  called 
— is  very  peculiar,  and  very  unlike  that  which  pre- 
vails in  Fiji,  to  which  we  called  attention  in  the 
first  volume  of  this  series.  Every  man  seems  to 
have  a  kind  of  proprietorship  in  the  whole  island, 
and  no  man  holds  land  as  an  individual  possession. 
Hence,  to  the  land,  as  such,  he  attaches  no  value. 
Any  man  may  select  for  his  limited  farming  opera- 
tions sufficient  territory  in  the  forest,  and  proceed 
to  clear  and  fence  it.  This  done,  he  may  plant  his 
yams,  taro,  or  bananas.  But  when  the  crops  have 
matured  and  have  been  removed,  the  land  immedi- 
ately lapses  to  forest.  The  next  season  any  other 
man  may  cultivate  the  spot. 

Jkit  if  the  first  cultivator  has  planted  cocoanut 
trees,  the  result  is  different.  The  trees  become  his 
property,  apart  from  an}'  consideration  of  owner- 
ship in  the  soil.  At  the  same  time,  he  would  not  at 
all  object  to  another  man's  occupying  the  ground 
with  some  other  crop,  so  long  as  it  should  in  nowise 
damage  or  impede  the  growth  of  his  beautiful  trees. 
The  trees  are  his  possession  so  long  as  he  lives,  and 
at  his  death  must  be  transmitted  to  his  heirs,  if  he 
have  any.  We  have  not  been  able  to  learn  if  these 
customs  pertain  to  the  entire  group. 


112       TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

It  is  Mr.  Woodford's  opinion  that  cannibalism  is 
not  practiced  on  Guadalcanar,  since,  during  his  resi- 
dence at  Aola,  where  he  mingled  freely  with  the 
natives,  he  neither  saw  nor  heard  of  an  instance  of 
the  barbarism.  Nevertheless,  it  is  of  frequent  occur- 
rence on  all  the  islands  around,  on  Malaita,  St. 
Christoval,  New  Georgia,  and  others. 

A  native  village  on  Guadalcanar  may  contain  ten 
or  a  dozen  houses,  each  probably  thirty  feet  long  by 
fifteen  feet  wide,  and  all  constructed  of  sago  thatch. 
The  roof  will  slope  to  very  near  the  ground  on  both 
sides.  All  may  be  built  side  by  side,  forming  a 
row  fronting  the  sea.  On  the  space  between  the 
dwellings  and  the  water  will  stand  a  larger  struct- 
ure, in  which  are  stored  the  great  war-canoe  of  the 
village  and  numerous  smaller  boats.  Entering 
the  village  at  midday,  we  should  find  most  of 
the  dwellings  tenantless  and  carefully  barricaded. 
Nearly  all  the  people  would  be  absentat  the  yam 
gardens,  on  the  verge  of  the  forest.  The  open  sandy 
area,  or  plaza,  in  front  of  the  line  of  houses,  is  daily 
swept  and  weeded. 

Aola  River  flows  but  a  little  distance  from  where 
we  now  stand.  If  we  continue  our  walk  through 
the  forest  in  that  direction,  we  shall  soon  emerge 
upon  its  brink.  Crossing  it  and  proceeding  a  little 
way,  we  shall  enter  a  path  leading  to  the  crest  of  a 
deep  wrinkle  in  the  face  of  Guadalcanar,  covered 
with  luxuriant  trees  and  undergrowth.  Here  some- 
one's hand  has  cleared  a  space  of  several  rods.    For 


THE    ISLAND    OF    GUADALCANAR.  II3 

this  we  are  lieartily  grateful,  for  it  affords  us  an  ex- 
tensive outlook  upon  the  distant  interior.  Now 
survey  the  scene.  Had  we  not  oftentimes  grown 
enthusiastic  over  such  pictures  in  these  seas,  we 
should  call  this  marvelously  beautiful.  We  hastily 
sketch  the  view  for  our  readers  : — 

Here  is  a  foreground  of  everlasting  green,  vivid 
to  intensity.  But  a  little  distance  away  ridge  follows 
ridge,  valley  succeeds  valley,  until  the  green  fades 
into  delicate  blue  at  the  mountain-tops  in  the  souths 
west.  The  distance  is  thirty  miles  in  a  direct  line. 
Lofty  Mount  Lammas,  with  its  precipitous  sides, 
helps  to  form  the  noble  background  of  the  picture. 
In  the  south,  ten  miles  away,  Vatupusan  looms  up 
to  half  the  height  of  Lammas,  with  top  as  round  as 
a  ball.  So  clear  is  the  atmosphere  that  we  can  dis- 
tinguish the  trees  on  its  summit,  outlined  against  the 
cloudless  sky.  Quickly  a  rain-laden  cloud,  tlriven 
by  the  trade  wind,  appears  to  halt  for  a  moment  on 
its  to[).  Soon  it  moves  on,  and  again  the  sunlight 
illumines  everything. 

But  what  is  that  spot  of  bright  vermilion  which 
contrasts  so  strikingly  with  the  miles  of  green  ?  .\h ! 
we  saw  the  same  thing  in  the  I  lervey  Isles.  It  is 
the  curious  coral  tree  in  full  bloom.  A  cut  and  de- 
scription of  the  tree  appears  in  the  volume  entitled 
"The  Tonga  Islands  and  Other  Groups."  Were 
we  beside  it,  we  should  no  doubt  fuul  it  aii\e  with 
lories,  come  to  secure  the  hone\'  in  the  blossoms. 
Wherever  the  natives  find  a  coral  tree  in  bloom, 


114       TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

they  spread  light  nets  among-  the  branches  to  en- 
trap these  pretty  parrots.  Often  the  Httle  creatures 
arrive  in  companies  of  five  or  six.  They  become 
entangled  in  the  meshes  of  the  net,  and  frequently 
break  their  necks  in  their  efforts  to  escape. 

We  now  portray  another  scene  which  may  be 
witnessed  on  Guadalcanar.  The  time  is  about  sun- 
set. Walk  with  me  down  to  the  sea-shore  at  Aola. 
In  the  view  over  the  waters  not  an  object  is  moving. 
A  sense  of  the  immensity  of  the  ocean  oppresses 
us,  and  we  are  thankful  for  the  screech  of  that  un- 
gainly parrot,  hastening  home  for  the  night.  Now 
there  is  a  soft  fluttering  of  wings.  The  swifts  are 
abroad  for  their  supper  of  flies.  As  it  grows 
darker,  multitudes  of  dainty  insects  are  on  the  wing.. 
Now  an  army  of  dragon-flies  arrives  to  banquet 
upon  them.  Suddenly  a  bat  comes  upon  the  scene, 
and  as  suddenly  then  the  swifts  disappear.  The  day- 
light wanes  rapidly.  The  darkness  is  here.  Hither 
and  thither  now  dart  horrid  bats  without  number. 

With  the  exception  of  these  birds  and  insects, 
all  nature  is  very  still.  The  trade  wind  quieted 
down  at  five  o'clock,  and  the  land  breeze  is  tardy 
in  rising.  This  is  the  hour  for  the  luminous  bee- 
tles. Notice  how  they  appear  and  vanish, "mere 
points  of  fire  among  the  trees."  Soon  the  tree 
frogs  will  pipe  up  on  every  side,  and  occasionally 
you  will  hear  the  lonely  cry  of  later  night  birds. 
After  we  have  retired,  if  )'ou  are  attentive,  you 
will  hear  a    great  rustling  of  wings  among   these 


THE    ISLAND    OF    GUADALCAXAR. 


115 


mango  trees.  The  ado  will  be  made  by  the  foxes 
out  on  a  foraging  expedition.  And,  listening  about 
midnight,  you  will  hear  a  light  scratching  all  over 
the  floor.  Simply  conclude,  then,  that  a  battalion 
of  hermit  crabs  are  banqueting  upon  the  crumbs 
scattered  by  the  birds  and  opossums  in  their  cages, 
and  go  to  sleep. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

ISLAND  OF  NEW  GEORGIA— THE  RUBIANA 
LAGOON. 

HUNDRED  miles  or  so  to  the  northwest 
of  Guadalcanar  lies  a  large  and  interesting 
island,  discovered  by  the  Spaniards  in 
1568,  and  visited  by  Lieutenant  Shortland  in  1788. 
This  island  is  sometimes  called  New  Georgia.  An- 
other and  prettier  name  for  it  is  Rubiana.  To  this 
land  we  shall  now  pay  a  flying  visit  instead  of  sail- 
ing eastward  to  Malaita,  as  we  had  purposed. 

New  Georgia  is  an  island  about  sixty  miles  long 
and  about  half  as  wide.  It  extends  from  southeast 
to  northwest.  The  entire  island  is  clothed  with  no- 
ble forests.  Its  mountains  stand  up  from  three  to 
four  thousand  feet.  As  in  the  case  of  Guadalcanar, 
it  is  the  southern  portion  which  rises  to  a  lofty 
height.  The  northern  part  slopes  gently  from  the 
center  to  the  sea. 

The  most  remarkable  feature  of  New  Georgia  is 
its  beautiful  lagoon.  An  extensive  coral  reef,  par- 
allel with  the  shore  and  distant  from  it  some  three 
miles,  incloses  this  lovely  lake  and  its  cluster  of 
pretty  islets.  Upon  the  latter  and  upon  the  shore 
of  the  mainland  stand  the  villages  of  the  people. 
A  thick  border  of  cocoanut  palms  fringes  the  coast 
(  116) 


ISLAND    OF    NEW    GEORGIA.  11/ 

of  both  the  mainland  and  islets.  In  the  extended 
reef  which  forms  the  lagoon  i.s  an  opening  some 
nine  hundred  feet  wide,  in  which  the  water  aver- 
ages less  than  two  fathoms  in  depth.  Through  this 
channel  vessels  must  cautiously  feel  their  way,  and 
always  with  a  man  at  the  mast-head,  on  the  look- 
out for  erect  coral  points  under  the  water.  Once 
within  the  entrance,  we  run  along  three  miles,  and 
anchor  a  half  mile  out  from  the  village  of  Sisieta. 
From  the  deck  we  have  a  fine  view  of  the  situa- 
tion, and  we  discern  several  villages  among  the  palm 
trees.  From  the  shore  in  front  of  each  village  ex- 
tends a  neat  jetty,  compactly  built  of  coral  lime- 
stone, and  coated  with  grass.  The  conspicuous 
canoe-house  comes  first  into  view,  and  then  the 
huts  of  the  natives.  In  both  directions  stretch  lines 
of  palms.     Back  of  them  flourishes  the  tlense  forest. 

On  the  largest  islet  stands  the  \illage  of  Rubiana, 
whence  the  lagoon  takes  its  name.  The  great  har- 
vest of  cocoanuts  gathered  on  the  islets  and  the 
mainland  renders  the  place  an  important  point  com- 
mercially. Upon  three  of  the  islands  in  the  lagoon 
white  traders  reside,  each  having  his  establishment 
for  storing  copra.  Altogether  the  lagoon  presents 
as  lovely  an  inland  water  scene  as  we  have  wit- 
nes.sed  since  lea\ing  the  llervey  grou[).  We  will 
now  go  ashore,  landing  u[)on  the  nearest  jcttw 

Proceeding  to  the  l.uid  end  of  the  pier,  followed 
by  a  companx'  of  natives,  our  curiositx'  is  awakened 
by  a  repulsi\e  statue  or    image,  set    up   near    the 


Il8       TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

shore.  No  woman  is  suffered  to  approach  the 
hideous  object,  so  we  hurry  by,  lest  our  presence 
shall  afflict  the  thing.  The  place  is  evidently  a 
shrine.  A  bit  of  roof  shelters  the  image.  Around 
it  lie  some  sacred  emblems  and  a  mound  of  dry 
skulls.  All  the  people  appear  to  regard  it  with 
great  veneration.  Every  village  about  the  lagoon 
boasts  a  similar  figure-head,  protecting  deity,  or 
whatever  it  may  be  called.  We  glance  around. 
An  air  of  sweet  peacefulness  pervades  the  place. 
The  people  seem  to  be  an  indolent,  free-and-easy 
class,  without  a  thought  of  cruelty.  But  we  soon 
learn  that  their  appearance  deceives.  Had  we 
occupied  our  present  seat  but  a  few  days  ago,  we 
should  have  witnessed  the  horrible  scenes  we  now 
describe:  — 

Ingava,  the  chief  of  these  people,  was  ill — an 
attack  of  sullenncss,  most  likely.  His  medicine- 
man told  him  he  had  been  bewitched;  that  some- 
one had  buried  or  hidden  something  of  which  he 
had  eaten,  and  imless  the  article  was  produced 
he  would  waste  away  and  die.  A  woman  was  sus- 
pected of  doing  the  dreadful  deed.  To  assert  her 
innocence  was  useless.  The  wise  man  declared  her 
to  be  the  cause  of  Ingava's  suffering.  Therefore, 
amid  the  blows  and  cries  of  women  who  had  been 
her  associates,  she  was  hurried  to  that  large  tree  in 
the  center  of  the  village,  where  she  was  drawn  up 
into  the  air,  and  left  suspended  by  one  arm.  At 
midday  she  was   lowered  to  the  ground,  the   rope 


ISLAND    OF    i\E\V    GEORGIA.  I  I9 

was  placed  about  the  other  arm,  and  she  was  again 
drawn  up  for  the  remainder  of  the  day. 

At  length  the  woman  was  released  and  ordered 
to  produce  the  concealed  article.  The  poor  creat- 
ure staggered  to  her  feet,  and,  with  her  almost  use- 
less  hands — both  wrists  were  nearly  dislocated — 
brought  forth  from  the  thatch  of  her  hut  two  sticks 
of  tobacco!  undoubtedly  her  own  rightful  possession. 
These  were  evidence  sufficient.  A  herald  ran  with 
the  good  news  to  the  house  where  lay  the  be- 
witched chief,  apparently  about  to  die.  Instantly 
he  arose  and  walked  forth,  a  man  perfectly  restored! 
Great  credit  was  of  course  awarded  to  the  wise 
man  for  so  successfully  discovering  the  sorceress 
and  effecting  the  great  cure. 

Had  the  unhappy  woman  suffered  sufficiently  for  • 
her  crime? — By  no  means.  The  ne.xt  morning  she 
was  again  suspended  from  the  tree  for  some  time, 
and,  when  taken  down,  was  a  sad  wreck,  being  no 
longer  valuable  as  a  laborer.  She  was  therefore  sold 
to  the  natives  of  a  neighboring  island,  a  great  ca- 
noeful  of  whom  had  just  arrived,  with  a  cargo  of 
cocoanuts  for  sale.  The  price  paid  for  this  human 
being  was  tiiree  ornaments  for  the  neck,  wrought 
out  of  the  shell  of  the  mammoth  ci.uii.  Her 
purchasers  bore  her  away.  A  small  island  lay  in 
their  route.  There  they  landed,  cooked,  and  ate 
her.  About  the  Rubiana  lagoon  every  prospect 
pleases,  only  man  is  vile. 

We  ha\'e  alluded  to  the   canoe-houses  of  these 


120 


TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 


villages.  Let  us  enter  the  one  but  a  few  rods  from 
us.  It  is  a  spacious  structure,  seventy  feet  long 
and  thirty  feet  wide.     The  ridge  is  thirty  feet  from 


the  ground,  and  the  steep  roof  is  constructed  en- 
tirely of  sago  thatch.  The  ends  of  the  building  are 
made  of  screens  manufactured  from  sago  leaves,  and 
it  stands  with  one  end  to  the  lagoon.  In  this  end, 
you  observe,  are  two  peculiar,  long  openings.  They 
are  made  to  allow  tJiese  two  large  head-hunting  ca- 
noes, with  their  high-pointed  ends,  to  be  easily  car- 
ried in  and  out.  In  racks  below  the  roof  are  stowed 
away  all  sorts  of  gear.  Fishing-nets  with  stone 
sinkers  and  light  wood  floats,  fashioned  to  imitate 
ducks,  are  suspended  from  the  roof  on  great  wooden 
hooks. 

Along  the  rafters  of  one  side  depend  fish-bones, 


ISLAND    OF    NEW    GEORGIA.  121 

the  heads  of  turtles,  and  the  jaw-bones  of  piijs. 
From  the  other  side  eight  human  heads  look  down 
upon  us.  From  the  grinning  teeth  and  deep  eye 
sock'ets  of  some  of  them  the  partially-dried  flesh  is 
shrinking  away.  Evidently  the  canoe-house  has 
sheltered  them  for  a  long  time.  P^ach  head  has  its 
tragic  history.  Two  of  them  are  but  recent  addi- 
tions to  the  horrible  array.  The  hair  of  these  is 
straight,  and  the  head  is  differently  shaped  from  the 
others.  One  of  them  is  the  head  of  a  woman,  and 
down  each  side  of  the  face  hangs  the  straight  coal- 
black  hair,  eighteen  inches  long.  The>'  are  the 
heads  of  two  of  an  Ivistern  I'acific  race.  How  came 
they  here?     This  is  their  sad  story: — 

A  year  or  two  ago  a  large  canoe  containing  six- 
teen persons  drifted  in  a  high  wind  from  Ontong- 
Java,  an  isolated  group  of  yiany  small  islands  two 
hundred  miles  to  the  northeast  of  the  Solomons. 
The  wanderers  finally  made  Isabel  Island,  the 
nearest  point  of  which  is  distant  from  Rubiana 
over  one  hundred  miles.  To  that  island  the  head 
hunters  from  this  lagoon  frecjuently  sail,  with  their 
great  canoes,  in  search  of  human  heads.  Of  these 
hapless  voyagers  several  were  killed  by  the  head 
hunters.  To  two  of  the  slain  belonged  these  jie- 
culiar  heads  above  us.  One  or  two  of  the  sur- 
vivors were  kindly  conve\'ed  to  their  homes  by  a 
trader.  One  is  said  to  be  still  hiding  in  the  forest 
on  Isabel. 

Now    that  we  hax'c  chanced    upon  the    ghastly 


122       TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

subject  of  head  hunting,  and  find  ourselves  among 
a  people  by  whom  it  is  practiced,  let  us  for  a  mo- 
ment glance  at  the  barbarous  custom.  It  prevails 
over  a  large  part  of  this  princely  group,  and  the 
chiefs  of  New  Georgia  seem  to  hold  the  pre- 
eminence in  the  atrocious  pursuit.  From  this 
lagoon  they  extend  their  raids  to  the  islands  of 
Isabel,  Florida,  and  Guadalcanar,  often  making 
voyages  over  a  hundred  miles  in  length.  The 
heaps  of  skulls  in  these  villages  testify  to  the  suc- 
cess of  their  expeditions.  Indeed,  the  employment 
has  become  a  mania  with  the  Rubiana  people.  It 
is  a  frequent  occurrence  for  several  great  canoes, 
each  carrying  from  thirty  to  forty  men,  with  their 
spears  and  rifles  piled  amidships,  to  start  out  on 
these  excursions.  The  men  delight  to  surprise  a 
village  at  daylight,  on  Isabel  or  on  Guadalcanar,  with 
a  man  stationed,  tomahawk  in  hand,  at  the  door  of 
each  house,  ready  to  slay  the  inmates  as  they  at- 
tempt to  flee  for  their  lives. 

They  sometimes  also  resort  to  skillful  feints  and 
pretenses  in  making  their  captures,  spending  a  day 
or  two  in  friendly  trading  with  the  inhabitants  of  a 
village,  and  then,  all  suspicions  being  allayed,  turn 
upon  them,  at  a  concerted  signal,  and  capture  as 
many  as  they  desire,  an  entire  village  perhaps.  It 
is  Mr,  Woodford  who  says:  "When  visiting  the 
north  coast  of  Isabel,  near  the  close  of  1888,  I  found 
village  after  village  uninhabited,  the  natives  having 
been    killed    by    head    hunters    from    the  Rubiana 


ISLAND    OF    NEW    GEORGIA.  1 23 

lagoon."  Speaking  of  head-hunting  raids,  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Codrington  remarks:  "The  inhabitants  of 
Southern  Isabel  have  suffered  greatly  from  attacks 
made  annually  by  natives  from  their  own  distant 
coast,  their  object  being  to  obtain  heads  to  honor 
either  a  dead  or  a  living  chief,  or  for  the  inaugu- 
ration of  new  canoes.  A  new  war  canoe  is  not 
invested  with  due  supernatural  power  until  those 
sailing  in  it  have  killed  some  man,  and  any  lone 
voyager  coming  within  their  ken  is  forthwith  hunted 
down  for  the  purpose.  The  completion  of  any  im- 
portant work  demands  the  sacrifice  of  a  head,  and 
the  village  canoe-house  becomes  its  depositor}-. 

Frequently  these  head-hunting  forays  have  no 
connection  with  cannibalism,  their  object  being  the 
mere  possession  of  skulls.  Nor  yet  are  they  always 
undertaken  simply  to  bring  back  heads,  but  to  se- 
cure slaves  also.  These  are  either  bought  or  capt- 
ured. Usually  they  are  very  kindly  treated,  and 
live  in  as  much  freedom  as  their  captors,  and 
even  on  terms  of  equality  and  intimacy  with  them. 
But,  upon  the  completion  of  a  large  canoe,  or  an\- 
other  important  work,  a  head  will  be  required  in 
celebrating  the  event.  One  of  these  free  slaves  will 
then  suddenly  be  called  upon  to  furnish  it.  Haj)- 
pily,  the  chosen  victim  will  have  no  intimation  of 
his  doom  until  the  blow  falls  upon  him  from  behind 
him. 

One  native  characteristic  that  impresses  the  stran- 
ijer  wherever  he  wanders  amon<T    these  cliarmintr 


124  TWO   CANNIBAL   ARCHIPELAGOES. 

islands  is  the  bargain-making  talent  the  natives  pos- 
sess. The  tricks  of  trade  which  they  do  not  under- 
stand are  not  worth  knowing.  A  voyager  among 
them  has  written:  "The  native  knows  how  many 
cocoanuts  make  ten.  Usually  it  is  seven  and  a  half, 
and  I  have  known  it  to  be  as  few  as  six."  Aptness 
for  trade  is  a  quality  which  the  father  faithfully  trans- 
mits to  the  son.  A  mere  lad  in  years  is  a  veteran 
in  commercial  transactions,  as  the  following  inci- 
dent   shows    (we  abridge    the  account) : — 

"While  anchored  off  a  little  village  in  one  of  our 
trips,  a  mere  child  paddled  alongside,  in  a  frail 
mite  of  a  canoe,  apparently  capable  of  supporting 
his  weight  only.  The  waters  dashed  into  the  craft 
at  every  stroke  of  the  oar.  At  intervals  the  little 
navigator  deftly  kicked  the  element  overboard  with 
his  foot — a  novel  mode  of  baling,  certainly.  Roll- 
ing about  in  the  bottom  of  the  canoe  were  several 
moldy  yams  in  full  sight.  The  unsuspecting  stran- 
ger, interested  in  the  infant  trader's  movements, 
feels  sympathy  for  his  tender  years  and  his  apparent 
anxiety  to  dispose  of  his  goods,  and  buys  his  rusty 
yams  at  probably  four  times  their  ordinary  value. 
Eagerly  the  urchin  grasps  the  coveted  stick  of  to- 
bacco, and  thrusts  it  for  safety  through  a  hole  in 
his  ear,  where,  certainly,  it  is  in  no  danger  of  getting 
wet.  To  the  stranger's  amazement,  the  midget  then 
whisks  aside  a  dirty  piece  of  matting,  which  seems 
to  have  been  accidentally  kicked  into  one  end  of 
the  canoe,  and    discloses  more  yams,  slightly  im- 


ISLAND    OF    NEW    GKOKGIA.  1 25 

proved  in  t^uality.  Consistently,  one  could  not  of- 
fer less  for  them  than  for  the  others.  So  another 
stick  of  tobacco  is  transferred  to  the  youngster's 
ear. 

"  Surely  now  his  stock  must  be  exhausted.  A 
mite  of  a  canoe  like  that  could  hide  nothing  more. 
A  dexterous  jerk,  which  nearly  upsets  the  craft,  pro- 
duces a  single  perfect  yam.  The  chap  had  been 
sitting  upon  it.  How  it  escaped  the  stranger's  no- 
tice was  a  puzzle.  For  this  prize  the  sharp  bar- 
gainer wants  nothing  less  than  a  pipe.  And  he  is 
evidently  a  judge  of  pipes,  for  he  refuses  the  first 
and  second  kinds  shown  him.  A  piala  tiiioui — 
a  pipe  with  a  man's  head  on  it — he  must  have,  or 
he  keeps  his  yam.  More  than  that,  the  article 
must  have  a  knob  at  the  bottom,  or  the  stranger 
makes  no  trade  with  hiin." 

In  the  Solomon  Isles  the  fashion  in  pipes  changes 
as  frequently  as  does  the  style  of  bonnets  in  Amer- 
ica. Sometimes  the  ta.ste  runs  to  very  simple 
ones.  Then  perfectly  plain  pipes  must  be  had. 
But  when  the  trader  makes  his  next  trip,  there  is 
probably  a  craze  for  ornament,  and  his  pipes  must 
show  a  ship  under  full  sail,  or  some  other  attractive 
object  stamped  upon  them.  Now  the  pipes  must 
be  white.  On  the  next  occasion,  only  the  red  ar- 
ticle will  suit.  The  same  mutation  marks  the  trade 
in  knives.  The  handles  must  be  bone,  wood,  or 
metal,  as  the  mode  dictates.  So  with  calico,  turkey 
red,  navy  blue,  and  a  pretty  gray  take  their  turn 
for  favor. 


CII  AFTER  X. 

BOUGAINVILLE,  THE  SHORTLANDS,  AND  TREAS- 
URY  ISLAND. 

lOUGAINVILLE  ISLAND,  the  largest, 
most  northern,  and  western  of  the  Solomon 
c^^}\^  group,  presents  its  picture  of  forest,  valleys, 
and  mountain  heights,  a  little  over  one  hundred 
miles  northwest  of  New  Georgia.  In  1788  it  was 
discovered  by  the  French  navigator  Bougainville, 
on  his  way  northward  after  finding  the  Louisiade 
Archipelago,  which  lies  southeast  of  New  Guinea. 
He  first  touched  the  west  coast  of  Choiseul  Island, 
the  second  of  the  Solomons  as  one  sails  southeast- 
ward, and  gave  it  its  present  name.  For  some  dis- 
tance he  found  the  coast  inaccessible.  But,  reach- 
ing the  harbor  now  known  as  Choiseul  Bay,  he 
made  an  attempt  to  enter.  Before  his  fleet  could 
make  the  anchorage,  night  drew  on,  when  the 
number  of  the  shoals  and  the  irregularity  of  the 
currents  deterred  proceeding. 

While  in  the  bay  he  was  attacked  by  a  multitude 
of  natives  in  canoes,  who  issued  from  a  stream 
emptying  into  the  harbor,  which  the  Frenchman 
very  properly  named  Warrior  River.  A  second 
discharge  of  fire-arms  dispersed  the  party,  and  Bou- 
gainville withdrew  from  Choiseul,  passing  through 
(  126) 


BOUGAINVILLE    AND    OTHER    LSLANDS.         .    12/ 

the  noble  strait  which  now  bears  his  name.  After 
coasting  the  eastern  shore  of  Bougain\'ille  Island, 
he  left  the  group,  unaware  that  he  had  visited  the 
Solomon  Isles,  as  we  have  previously  remarked. 

The  inhabitants  of  Bougainville  Island  are  all 
taller,  blacker,  and  more  robust  than  the  people  of 
Isabel  and  St.  Christoval.  Those  who  dwell  around 
the  active  volcano  of  Bagana  are  said  to  be  invet- 
erate cannibals.  There  is  little  doubt  that  the  inte- 
rior tribes  of  the  island  also  are  very  fond  of  human 
flesh.  Yet  these  same  bushmcn  refuse  to  eat  fish. 
Tattooing  is  practiced  by  the  coast  tribes.  The 
work  is  done  on  the  face,  in  shallow  grooved  lines, 
which  begin  at  the  nose,  curve  over  the  cheek-bones, 
and  end  just  above  the  eyebrows. 

Bougainville  Island  is  a  land  almost  entirely  un- 
known as  yet  to  both  travelers  and  traders,  except, 
perhaps,  the  immediate  coast  bordering  Bougainville 
Strait.  So  far  as  we  can  learn,  no  effort  has  been 
made  by  an)-  of  the  great  missionary  societies  toward 
evangelizing  its  inhabitants.  It  is  a  land  of  beauty 
and  fertility,  and  capable  of  great  advancement  com- 
mercially. On  the  contrary,  the  island  groups  of 
Bougainville  Strait  seem  to  have  long  been  a  center 
of  attraction.  The  Shortland  group,  particularly,  has 
received  no  little  attention  from  I'jiglish  scientists. 
Indeed,  to  this  class  of  travelers — always  studying 
and  alwa)-s  writing  of  what  they  see — we  are 
indebted  for  most  of  our  knowledge  of  the  two 
great  Melanesian  groups  lying  east  and  southeast 


128       TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

of  New  Guinea.  Let  us  now  spend  a  few  days  in 
the  Shortland  Islands,  getting  an  idea  of  the  Hfe 
and  character  of  the  people  and  of  their  modern 
history  before  making  the  trip  to  St.  Christoval. 

Over  one  hundred  years  ago — July,  1788 — 
Lieutenant  Shortland,  while  convoying  a  fleet  of 
transports  from  Port  Jackson,  Australia,  touched 
the  Solomon  group,  on  the  south  coast  of  St. 
Christoval.  He  skirted  the  southern  shores  of  the 
different  islands,  untilhe  arrived  at  Bougainville 
Strait,  to  which  he  gave  his  own  name,  ignorant  of 
the  fact  that  it  already  bore  the  name  of  Bougain- 
ville. Shortland's  name  has  been  attached  to  the 
important  group  of  small  islands  lying  at  the  west- 
ern entrance  of  ]^ougainville  Strait.  Whether  he 
discovered  the  cluster  we  cannot  learn.  Its  princi- 
pal island  is  Alu.  The  group  is  ruled  by  a  power- 
ful chief,  whose  influence  extends  far  beyond  his 
own  dominion.  We  are  glad  to  say  that  for 
many  years  he  has  been  the  trusted  friend  of  the 
white  man. 

Gorai  is  a  man  past  middle  life,  of  engaging  ad- 
dress, and  slightly  shorter  than  the  average  native, 
who  is  about  five  feet  seven  inches  in  height.  His 
countenance  w^ears  an  honest,  good-humored  ex- 
pression, which  at  once  wins  favor.  He  takes 
pleasure  in  claiming  to  be  "  all  the  same  as  white 
man."  He  laments  the  inferior  position  of  his  race, 
and  expresses  his  feeling  by  saying:  "White  man, 
he  knows  too  much.     Poor  black  man,  he  knows 


BOUGAINVILLE    AND    OTHER    ISLANDS.  1 29 

nothing."  A  number  of  years  ago  Gorai  ruled 
over  Treasury  Island,  a  lovely  gem  lying  southwest 
of  the  Shortlands.  Ikit  his  subjects  were  hostile 
to  the  white  man,  against  whom  the  chief  would 
not  lift  a  hand.  He  therefore  left  Treasury  and 
assumed  sway  over  the  Sliortlands.  Two  elderly 
.statesmen  now  form  the  cabinet  of  this  distinguished 
friend  of  the  white  man. 

Gorai  is  the  unfortunate  possessor  of  a  hundred 
wives.  The  queen  among  them  in  1889  was  Kaika, 
a  sister  of  Mule,  the  present  lord  of  -Treasury 
Island.  Mule,  in  turn,  married  Bita,  a  sister  of  the 
Shortland  magnate. 

The  people  of  Choiseul,  Treasur)-  Island,  Faro 
Island,  and  the  Shortland  group,  all  speak  the 
.same  language,  intermarry,  send  presents  to  and 
fro,  maintain  commercial  relations,  exchange  visits 
of  condolence  in  times  of  bereavement,  and  form  a 
most  powerful  alliance,  all  the  chiefs  being  con- 
nected either  by  marriage  or  by  ties  of  blood. 

Some  of  the  above  inter-relations  were  made 
very  apparent  in  July,  1883,  when  death  removed 
Kaika  from  her  home  on  Alu.  \Vc  greatly  abbre- 
viate an  account  of  the  circumstances,  given  by  Dr. 
H.  B.  Guppy,  surgeon  of  II.  M.  S.  Lark,  then  on  a 
surveying  expedition  among  the  Solomons.  At 
her  death  Kaika  was  about  twenty-eight,  and  a 
prepossessing  woman.  Her  features  were  regular, 
her  figure  slight  but  well-proportioned,  and  her  car- 
riage graceful.  Her  clean  skin  and  bushy  hair, 
9 


130  TWO    CANN1I5AL    ARCHIPELAGOES. 

dyed  a  magenta  hue  by  means  of  red  earth,  added 
to  the  general  pleasing  effect  of  her  person  (!). 

In  substance  Dr.  Guppy  says:  I  first  made  the 
acquaintance  of  Kaika  in  July,  Gorai  having  asked 
me  to  visit  her,  as  she  was  suffering  from  some  indis- 
position. While  sitting  beside  Gorai  and  the  queen, 
as  he  was  pleased  to  call  her,  the  latter  showed  mc 
her  little  boy,  who  was  nearly  blind.  I  was  much 
impressed  with  the  tenderness  displayed  by  both 
parents  toward  their  little  son.  Seated  on  his 
mother's  lap,  he  placed  his  hand  in  that  of  his  father, 
when  requested  to  raise  his  eyes  to  the  light  for  my 
inspection. 

Soon  after  this  the  work  of  the  ship  took  us  away 
from  Alu  for  some  time.  Upon  our  return  we  were 
told  Kaika  was  dying.  Landing  the  next  day,  to 
be  of  service  if  possible,  I  was  informed  she  was 
dead.  As  I  stepped  out  of  my  Rob  Roy,  I  received 
a  request  from  the  chief  to  visit  him.  I  found  him 
seated  on  the  ground  in  front  of  his  residence,  look- 
ing very  dismal.  Near  by  were  nine  or  ten  of  his 
wives,  all  past  the  prime  of  life,  withered  and  hag- 
gish, their  heads  shaved  and  faces  plastered  with 
lime  in  token  of  mourning.  They  were  droning  a 
dismal  chant,  and  reminded  me  of  a  group  of 
witches. 

Accompanying  Gorai  into  the  house,  I  found  a 
large  gathering  of  his  wives,  all  with  faces  coated 
with  lime.  Their  dead  white  features  peering  at  us 
through    the  gloom  of  the  building,  gave  to   the 


BOUGAINVILLK    AND    OTHER    ISLANDS.  I3I 

whole  scene  an  uncanny  look.  Gorai  appeared  to 
feel  deeply  the  loss  of  his  wife,  and  more  than  once 
broke  down  while  talking  of  her.  He  said  the  end 
came  as  we  dropped  anchor  in  the  bay  the  day 
before.  He  excused  himself  for  not  coming  off  to 
the  ship  in  the  midst  of  his  grief  "Too  much  cry," 
he  remarked  of  himself.  At  my  leave-taking  he 
requested  me,  upon  the  arrival  of  the  ship  at  Treas- 
ury Island,  to  inform  Mule,  the  Treasury  chief,  of 
the  death  of  his  sister,  and  also  to  ask  Bita,  his  own 
sister,  to  come  to  him.  On  the  way  to  my  canoe  I 
passed  several  of  Gorai's  chieftains  with  their  fore- 
heads and  a  part  of  their  cheeks  coated  with  lime, 
an  observance,  I  noticed,  which  neither  the  chief 
nor  his  sons  honored. 

Next  morning  several  men  of  the  village  were  on 
the  reef  procuring  fish  for  the  great  funeral  feast  to 
be  held  in  the  afternoon.  In  the  latter  part  of  the 
day  Lieutenant  Leeper  and  myself  landed  at  the 
grounds,  and  found  ourselves  in  the  midst  of  a 
hundred  men  assembled  because  of  the  queen's 
demise,  and  all  bearing  tomahawks.  Upon  entering 
Gorai's  grounds,  which  are  tabooed  to  all  the  men  of 
the  village  cxce[)t  those  on  his  staff,  \\  e  came  upon 
about  eighty  W(^nicn  performing  a  funeral  dance. 
Some  of  them  were  the  waives  of  the  chief,  others 
were  the  notable  women  of  the  adjoining  villages. 
They  formed  a  large  circle,  in  the  center  of  which 
four  posts  were  erected,  each  about  ten  feet  high, 
two  painted  white,  two  painted  red,  all  charred  on 


132  TWO    CANNII5AI,    AKCmi'ELAGOES. 

one  side  and  rudely  carved  in  imitation  of  the  human 
head. 

Inclosed  in  the  ring  were  six  women  bearing  in 
their  hands  the  little  personal  possessions  of  Kaika, 
such  as  her  basket,  cushion,  etc.  To  the  slow  and 
measured  time  of  a  drum,  in  the  form  of  a  hollow  log, 
beaten  by  a  man  outside  the  circle,  the  women 
adapted  their  movements,  which  consisted  simply 
in  raising  the  feet  by  turns  and  stamping  gently 
upon  the  ground.  Meanwhile  the  inside  group  of 
women  danced  around  the  posts,  partly  hopping, 
partly  skipping,  each  one  regulating  her  steps  to 
the  stroke  upon  the  log,  and  holding  up  before  her 
the  treasured  article  she  bore.  As  the  central 
actors  skipped  most  actively,  the  foremost  at  each 
bound  sprinkled  handfuls  of  lime  over  the  dancers 
in  the  ring. 

The  weather  being  rainy,  many  of  the  women — 
all  of  whom  wore  a  sulu  reaching  from  the  waist 
to  the  knees — had  covered  their  shoulders  with  mats 
made  of  pandanus  leaves.  This  ceremony  was  re- 
peated on  the  following  day,  but  with  fewer  dancers. 
I  was  anxious  to  ascertain  what  disposition  had 
been  made  of  Kaika's  body,  but  beyond  the  fact 
that  it  had  been  interred  in  the  ground  some  dis- 
tance away,  I  could  learn  nothing.  It  is  very 
probable  that  it  was  first  burned  between  the  charred 
posts  around  which  the  dance  was  performed.  Upon 
making  inquiries  as  to  the  obsequies  observed  at 
Kaika's    death,    I    was    much    impressed    with  the 


BOUGAINVILLE    AND    OTHER    ISLANDS.  1 33 

reluctance  of  the  natives  to  refer  to  the  e\cnt. 
They  mentioned  her  name  in  a  low,  subdued  tone, 
as  if  it  were  wrong  to  utter  it.  This  mysterious 
dread  of  mentioning  the  name  of  the  dead  exists 
among  many  races.  The  Australian  native,  who 
refuses  to  utter  them,  is  an  extreme  instance  of  the 
feeling. 

We  may  add  that  three  days  after  the  death  of 
Kaika  all  the  men  of  Alu,  except  the  chief  and  his 
sons,  cut  their  hair  close  to  the  scalp  as  a  sign  of 
mourning  for  the  little  woman.  The  news  of  her 
death  being  conveyed  to  the  other  islands  of  Bou- 
gainville Strait,  visits  of  condolence  were  soon  paid 
to  Gorai  by  the  two  chiefs  of  Faro  Island,  and  by 
parties  of  the  women  of  Faro  who  journeyed  in  person 
to  manifest  their  sympathy  for  the  afflicted  chief  of 
the  Shortlands. 

Shortly  after  the  luiglish  ship  came  to  anchor  in 
Blanche  harbor,  Treasury  Island,  Mule  stepped  on 
deck.  Dr,  Guppy  immediately  informed  him  of 
his  sister's  demise,  and  of  Gorai's  wish  that  l^ita 
should  visit  him  at  Alu.  Tlie  ruler  f)f  Treasury  re- 
ceived the  sad  news  with  but  slight  indications  of 
sorrow.  But  himself,  his  sons,  and  several  men  of 
the  island,  manifested  their  regard  for  her  by  neatl)- 
trimming  their  bushy  heads,  but  not  by  shaving 
the  hair  closely,  as  did  the  men  of  Alu.  The  wi\es 
of  Mule,  however,  promptK'  put  the  la)'er  of  lime 
upon  their  faces.  A  nuinbtr  of  weeks  elapsed  he- 
fore  Bita  could  attempt  the  long  canoe  \oyage  to 


134  '^^■'->    CANNIBAL    AKCHIPELAGOES. 

her  brother's  island,  it  beiiif^  practicable  for  such 
craft  onl\'  in  fur  weather. 

The  mourning  ceremonies  and  burial  customs 
vary  not  a  little  on  the  different  islands  of  the  Solo- 
mon group,  and  they  are  as  interesting  as  they  are 
unlike.  We  are  sure  our  readers  will  receive  with 
pleasure  a  few  additional  facts  with  reference  to 
them. 

Generally,  anioiiL;  the  islands  of  Bougainville 
Strait,  the  deep  .sea  is  chosen  for  the  last  resting- 
place  of  all  the  natives  below  the  rank  of  chief. 
One  day  while  a  party  of  Englishmen  were  making 
soundings  at  the  entrance  to  the  Alu  anchorage, 
tliere  passed  out  to  sea  two  large  canoes,  in  one  of 
which  la}'  the  remains  of  a  woman  who  had  died 
the  night  preceeding.  Her  relatives  were  of  the 
company,  and  were  wailing  and  bemoaning  their 
loss,  but  bore  no  i)art  in  navigating  the  canoe. 
The  rowing  was  \er)'  peculiar.  Each  man  paused 
after  ever)'  stroke,  and  partiall}-  arrestetl  the  prog- 
ress of  the  boat  by  a  backward  movement  of  his 
oar. 

On  Simba  Island  the  bodies  of  the  dead  are  fre- 
quently deposited  among  large  masses  of  rock, 
tumbled  together  at  the  ba.se  of  Middle  Hill,  west 
coast  of  the  island.  Also,  human  bones  have  been 
noticed  on  the  reef  rising  off  the  anchorage.  From 
the  large  eastern  islands  the  dead  are  often  buried 
at  sea.  On  the  islands  of  Ugi  and  Florida  the  skulls 
of  the  dead    are   sometimes    presen-ed    in  a  cairn 


BOUGAINVILLE    AND    OTHER    ISLANDS.  I  35 

built  on  the  edf^o  of  a  d'x/./.y  sea  cliff,  upon  some 
lofty  point,  or  on  some  lonely  islet. 

The  place  of  interment  for  common  men,  at  the 
village  of  Sapuna — island  of  Santa  Anna — is  an 
oblong  inclosiire,  t\vcnt}'-four  b)'  eighteen  feet,  sur- 
rounded by  a  low  wall  of  broken  coral  stone.  The 
grave  is  dug  to  a  depth  of  five  or  si.x  feet.  Long 
after  the  burial  the  skull  is  exhumed  and  placed 
inside  a  wooden  figure  some  three  feet  long,  made 
in  the  form  of  a  shark,  which  is  deposited  in  the 
taboo-house.  Ikit  \\  hen  a  chief  dies,  his  entire 
body  is  immediately  inclosed  in  a  shark  of  ample 
size,  and  con\e)-ed  to  the  taboo-house,  without  the 
humiliation  of  being  consigned  to  mother  earth. 

Let  us  return  for  a  moment,  before  we  dismiss  this 
subject,  to  the  home  of  the  Shortland  chief,  island 
of  Alu.  In  its  \icinit)-  may  be  seen  three  small  in- 
closures,  two  of  them  parallelograms,  one  of  them 
circular,  all  fenced  b\'  a  wood  paling.  On  the 
ground  within  each  are  placed  cla)'  pipes,  strings  c^f 
trade  beads,  betel  nuts,  long  since  thoroughl}- 
dried,  and  palm-leaf  dishes,  used  by  the  natives  in 
serving  food.  A  few  months  ago  a  woman  and  a 
little  girl,  members  of  Gorai's  household,  departed 
this  life.  Their  bodies  were  ijurned  between  four 
posts,  but  their  ashes  were  buried  within  one  of 
the  oblong  inclosures.  The  persons  had  borne,  so 
it  was  said,  the  sweet-sounding  names  of  I-auu 
and  Siali.  Should  one  inquire  why  these  articles 
— with  portions  of  food — were  placed  on  the  graves, 


136  TWO    CANNII5AL    AKCII  IPF.LAGOES. 

his  informant  would  answer  b)-  simply  pointing 
toward  the  sky.  On  the  spot  where  the  body  of  the 
lamented  Kaika  was  probably  burned,  there  had 
been  placed  a  wooden  box  containing  a  quantitx' 
of  beads  and  calico.  Thus  in  every  respect  had  the 
proper  honors  been  paid  to  the  queen. 

I  think  it  is  Doctor  Guppy  who  says  that  the 
natives  of  Treasury  Island  and  of  the  Shortlands  be- 
lieve in  a  good  spirit  who  dwells  in  a  pleasant  land, 
whither,  after  death,  go  all  men  who  have  lived 
right  lives,  and  that  all  evil  men  are  conveyed  to 
the  crater  of  Barana,  on  Bourainville  Island,  where 
the  evil  spirit  reigns  with  his  attendants.  After  all, 
how  far  removed  are  the  most  enlightened  of  us 
from  some  of  these  beliefs  and  customs?  Not  long 
after  Kaika's  death  a  great  feast  was  made  on 
Treasury  Island,  to  appease  the  wrath  of  the 
"dcvilo,"  or  e\il  spirit,  to  whom  her  taking  off  was 
attributed.  Mad  we  passed  through  the  village 
just  after  the  hour  for  the  feast,  we  should  have 
found  all  the  viands  untouched,  and  yet  should 
have  been  assured  that  his  majesty,  the  "devilo," 
had  already  partaken  of  the  banquet.  Notwith- 
standing, next  day  a  rudely-carved  taboo  post  was 
set  up  on  the  beach,  to  be  used  as  a  target,  at  which 
the  villagers  discharged  their  arrows  and  muskets 
to  i)itiuiidatc  the  jjrince  of  evil,  should  he  not  have 
been  propitiated  by  the  feast. 

We  have  referred  to  the  prett}-  names  borne  by 
the  two  women  whose   ashes  rest    in   Gorai's  small 


BOUGAINVILLK    AND    OTHER    ISLANDS.  1 3/ 

cemetery.  A  nati\'c  man  could  not  be  induced  to 
utter  those  names,  except  in  a  \er)-  subdued  tone. 
Indeed,  the  nati\e  men  are  ver\'  reluctant  to  pro- 
nounce the  names  of  women,  and  whenever  the}' 
do,  it  is  in  a  low  voice,  as  if  it  were  not  the  proper 
thing  to  mention  a  woman's  name  in  the  presence 
of  others.  This  hesitancy  is  especially  noticeable 
when  a  man  of  the  humbler  class  is  asked  the  name 
of  a  chiefs  wife.  On  se\-eral  occasions  a  <^entleman 
sojourning  temporarily  in  Bougainville  Strait  re- 
ferred to  a  chiefs  wife  b)'  name.  Each  time  the 
look  of  surprise  warned  him  that  he  had — though 
most  unwittingly — been  guilty  of  a  breach  of  eti- 
quette. 


ciiapti:r  XI. 

IN  BOUGAIXVII.I.E  STRAIT. 

HI'',  inhabitants  of  l^ougainxillc  Strait  far 
excel  those  of  the  Southern  Solomons  in 
'^^  ^  skillful  agriculture.  There  are  rca.son.s  for 
this  fact.  The  three  powerful  chiefs  of  the  strait 
wield  a  strong  influence.  They  live  and  rule  on 
terms  of  friendship.  Consequent!}-  their  people 
enjoy  greater  tranquillity  than  tho.se  of  other  isl- 
ands, and  have  more  time  for  careful  husbandr)-. 
Besides,  the  fierce  head  hunters  of  the  Rubiana  La- 
goon rarely  if  ever  make  raids  in  ]^ougainville 
Strait  in  quest  of  heads.  There  is  greater  strength, 
also,  in  the  social  unit)'  of  the  people. 

Treasur}'  Island  exhibits  acres  upon  acres  of  taro 
and  banana  gardens.  The  depth  of  soil  covering 
the  wide  level  margin  of  the  island  contributes  to 
this  result.  There  are  also  extensive  hill  slopes  on 
Treasury,  finely  cultivated.  T^ire  and  tlie  ax  are 
daily  bus)-  enlarging  the  ])rescnt  clearing.  Equal 
acKancement  is  exhibited  on  the  Shortlands.  On 
the  island  of  Norgusaia  one  ma)-  traverse  vast 
tracts  of  taro  and  banana  plantations  with  groves 
of  sago  and  betel-nut  palms  intervening.  Occasion- 
all)'  a  bread-fruit  tree  towers  over  all.  In  the 
(  138) 


IN    BOUGAINVILLE    STRAIT.  1 39 

planting  season  the  nati\'cs  of  tlic  strait  spend 
weeks  on  their  distant  plantations  in  the  interior 
of  the  islands.  Many  of  the  people  of  Taro  Island 
possess  extensive  j^ardcns  on  the  small  islands  ad- 
jacent, where  thc\-  labor  in  companies,  at  the  [proper 
seasons. 

In  Bougainville  Strait  the  )'am  is  not  so  great 
a  favorite  as  in  the  casttrn  south  seas,  the  taro, 
banana  and  sweet-potato  being  the  welcome  vege- 
tables. But  we  find  here  the  valuable  sago  palm 
in  great  numbers.  The  tree  furnishes  the  natives 
three  important  products,  the  vegetable-ixory  nut, 
the  sago,  so  much  u.sed  in  their  diet,  and  the 
thatch  for  the  roofs  and  sides  of  their  houses.  The 
sago  palm  of  I'iji  is  a  different  variet)',  grows  in 
low,  swamp)-  lands,  antl  attains  a  height  of  onl\- 
tiiirty  or  fort)'  feet  before  maturit)-.  But  the  sago 
of  the  S(jlomons  is  a  regal  product,  running  up  to 
si.xty  and  seventy  feet.  It  craves  the  hill-sides,  and 
usually  shuns  moist  situations.  Its  handsome 
crown  waves  on  the  very  summit  of  Treasury  Isl- 
and, one  thou.sand  feet  abo\e  the  sea-  On  Faro  it 
has  been  found  two  hundred  feet  higher.  This 
variety  thrives  also  in  the  mountainous  center  of  St. 
Christoval.  The  sago  is  the  king  of  all  the  palm 
trees. 

Here  is  a  compau)-  of  natives  engaged  in  the 
preparation  of  sago.  Let  us  watch  the  proceedings 
for  a  short  time.  One  of  the  noble  trees  has  just 
been  felled  to  the  ground,  and  the  trunk  split  to 


140       TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

obtain  the  })ith,  which  the  men  are  now  shredding. 
Notice  the  long,  spathe-Hke  base  of  the  branches. 
Of  this  spathe  a  trough  is  extemporized,  and  the 
l)it]i  is  laid  therein.  The  trough  is  kept  filled  with 
water  and  elevated  at  one  end,  allowing  the  fluid 
to  flow  away  at  the  other — through  a  kind  of 
strainer  made  of  the  strong,  fine  membrane  which 
binds  the  leaves  of  the  cocoanut  tree  to  the  trunk 
— into  a  second  trough  of  the  same  material.  Thus 
the  fiber  of  the  pith  is  retained,  while  the  sago 
passes  out  into  the  second  trough.  When  this 
trough  is  about  full  of  the  material,  the  water  is 
carefully  drained  off  and  the  remaining  moisture  is 
expelled  by  heat. 

The  product  then  becomes  a  cylindrical  mass 
from  one  and  a  half  to  two  feet  in  length.  It  is 
now  nicely  wrapped  in  leaves  of  the  sago  tree, 
and  is  ready  for  use.  Sago  washing  is  usually 
conducted  on  the  bank  of  some  stream,  for  the 
water  facilities  it  affords.  Most  unwisely,  on  ac- 
count of  the  sanitary  effects,  the  refuse  is  allowed 
to  decay  on  the  banks,  contaminating  the  water  for 
a  long  time,  and  tainting  the  atmosphere  with  the 
disagreeable  acid  odor. 

In  addition  to  yams,  taro,  cocoanuts,  plantains, 
the  sweet-potato,  sugar-cane  and  bread-fruit — two 
varieties,  one  ripening  in  August,  the  other  in 
November — the  people  of  tlie  strait  grow  a  large 
pumpkin,  two  varieties  of  tomato,  and  a  vegetable 
which  forms  a  very  good  substitute  for  our  cucum- 


IN    BOUGAINVILM':    STK.MT.  I4I 

bcr.  Tlie  cliicf  of  the  Shortlands  cultivates,  besides, 
in  his  vast  plantations  a  species  of  lime,  a  variety  of 
mango,  and  the  pawpaw. 

In  the  strait  most  of  tiie  labor  on  the  plantations 
and  gardens  is  performed  by  women.  Toward 
evening  they  may  often  be  seen  returning  in  their 
canoes  from  remote  "  patches  "  along  the  shore,  or 
from  the  small  cultivated  islands,  bringing  home  a 
generous  supply  of  taro,  bananas,  aivl  otiicr  \'cge- 
tables.  Generally  a  m;in  sits  in  the  stern  steering 
with  a  padtlle,  while  the  party  of  eight  or  ten 
women,  seated  in  couples,  propel  the  b(x\t  briskly 
with  the  liglit  oars.  The  powerful  chiefs  of  the 
strait  possess  a  large  number  of  wives,  \vho  find 
employment  and  subsistence  in  cultivating  the  es- 
tates of  their  lords.  Their  j'outh  and  beauty  being 
treasures  of  the  past,  these  women  are  no  longer 
attractions  of  the  household. 

Gorai,  the  .Shoitl.ind  chief,  objects  to  the  settling 
of  missionaries  on  his  isl.uuls,  on  the  ground  that 
lie  would  be  recjuired  to  dismiss  nearly  all  his 
wives,  thereby  losing  the  labor  l)\'  which  his  l.imls 
are  tilled  and  his  household  is  suj^plied  with  food. 
He  has  been  heard  to  remark:  "A  great  chief  re- 
quires a  large  staff  of  workers  to  cultivate  his  ex- 
tensive plantations  and  to  bring  home  the  produce." 
Kach  woman  has  a  space  of  ground  assigned  her, 
which  she  farms,  and  from  which  she  obtains  sub- 
sistence. 

The  voyager  in   Bougaiinille  Strait  is  often  im- 


142  TWO    CANMiaL    AKCll  IPELAGOES. 

pressed  witli  the  timidity  of  the  women,  as  com- 
pared with  those  of  St.  Christoval  and  of  other  isles 
at  the  southern  extremity  of  the  archipelago.  The 
young  unmarried  women  are  seldom  seen  by 
strangers.  A  writer  relates  that  one  day,  while  trav- 
ersing the  forest  of  Faro  alone,  he  came  suddenly 
upon  a  woman  seated  on  a  log  beside  the  path,  with 
a  little  boy  three  or  four  }-ears  of  age  on  her  lap. 
The  woman  instantly  fled  into  the  wood,  leaving  her 
charge  lying  directly  in  the  path.  Boy-like,  the  ur- 
chin broke  into  a  howl  that  made  the  forest  ring. 
But  the  immediate  gift  of  a  shining  necklace  soon 
subdued  his  cries.  The  stranger  passed  on,  and 
presently  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  mother  re- 
turn to  her  child.  Xo  restraint  appears  to  be  placed 
upon  the  movements  of  women  in  the  islands  of 
Santa  Anna,  Santa  Catalina,  and  St.  Christoval. 

The  women  of  the  strait  are  the  mat  makers  and 
the  pottery  workers  for  their  tribes.  They  manu- 
facture the  shapely  cooking  pots  and  the  antique- 
looking  water  bottles  which  we  see  in  engravings 
illustrating  the  islands  of  this  archipelago.  Sup- 
pose we  repair  to  the  residence  of  Mule,  on  Treas- 
ury Island,  and  observe  how  the  cooking  jars  so 
much  in  vogue  hereabouts  are  manufactured,  a 
number  of  his  wives  being  skilled  in  the  art.  A 
dozen  lively  women  will  welcome  us,  well  pleased 
to  display  their  talent.  I^'or  the  purpose,  a  quantity 
of  dark  red  clay  has  been  brought  from  the  interior 
of  the  island.     With  their  hands  the  women  work 


IN    BOUC.AINVILLE    STRAIT.  I43 

a  small  amount  of  the  clay  into  a  plastic  lump.  A 
flat,  smooth  pebble,  three  or  four  inches  across  the 
face,  is  then  taken  in  the  left  hand,  and  the  clay  is 
fashioned  upon  it  into  a  rude  kind  of  saucer  for  the 
bottom  of  the  pot,  by  a  small  wooden  trowel  held 
in  the  ricjht  hand. 

While  one  woman  is  thus  occupied,  two  of  her 
companions  are  busy  flattening  strips  of  the  clay 
an  inch  in  width  and  varj-ing  in  length  as  the  vessel 
increases  in  size.  One  of  these  strips  is  now  laid 
around  the  upper  edge  of  the  saucer,  and  the  potter 
welds  it  in  place  with  her  little  implement,  the  peb- 
ble being  retained  inside.  Thus  the  vessel  is  deftly 
built  up,  strip  by  strip.  To  secure  s)'mmetry  to 
the  upper  portions  of  the  pot,  a  fillet  of  grass  is 
tied  around  it  for  a  guide.  An  even  edge  is  given 
to  the  rim  by  a  fiber  of  cocoanut  husk  drawn 
across  it.  This  done,  the  neck  and  interior  arc 
finished  off  by  the  fingers,  dipped  frequently  in 
water.  While  making,  the  vessel  rests  upon  a  flat 
cushion  of  palm  leaves.  Such  a  pot,  of  the  ordinary 
size,  is  manufactured  in  al^out  foity  minutes.  When 
finished  it  is  placed  in  llio  shade  for  three  or  four 
days  to  stiffen,  and  afterwards  is  hardened  by  fire. 
The  exterior  is  decorated  with  (juaint  designs  in  re- 
lief, but  no  glaze  is  used.  The  figures  are  maile 
with  the  trowel,  on  one  side  of  which  the  patterns 
are  incised.  It  remains  to  be  said  that  in  finish 
and  elegance  of  design  the  Treasury  Island  ware 
does  not  compare  with  the  glazed  potter)'  of  I'iji. 


144  TWO    CANNIBAL    ARCHIPELAGOES. 

The  I^'ijian  women  employ  the  same  implements — 
a  flat  trowel,  a  small  flat  round  stone,  and  a  ring- 
like cushion  of  palm  leaves — but  do  not  cut  the  clay 
into  strips. 

Throughout  the  Solomon  Isles  we  have  observed 
two  very  pernicious  customs.  These  are  tobacco 
smoking  and  betel-nut  chewing.  They  are  practiced 
by  both  sexes,  and  at  all  ages.  Even  infants  seem 
to  have  an  instatiable  desire  for  smoking.  It  is  Mr. 
Woodford  who  writes,  in  effect: — 

In  the  villages  the  traveler  will  sometimes  be  fol- 
lowed by  a  knot  of  little  urchins  five  or  six  years  of 
age,  who  have  slipped  down  from  the  backs  of  their 
mothers  to  ask  him  for  tobacco.  And  I  have  seen 
a  child  in  the  arms  of  its  mother  take  the  pipe  from 
her  lips  and  puff  away  in  evident  enjoyment.  Should 
there  be  a  scarcity  of  tobacco  in  any  village  when 
the  trader  arrives  with  his  supply,  he  may  drive  fine 
bargains  with  the  article,  and  the  curiosity  seeker 
may  purchase  anything  he  likes  with  the  weed. 
For  a  bit  of  tobacco  the  size  of  a  penny  he  may 
secure  articles  which  have  cost  the  natives  days  of 
tedious  labor.  A  few  tobacco  plants  may  often  be 
seen  growing  in  the  waste  ground  of  the  villages. 
This  is  particularly  true  of  the  towns  in  Bougain- 
ville Strait.  And  always  the  home-grown  article  is 
preferred  to  the  imported. 

But  we  come  to  betel  chewing,  a  species  of  in- 
temperance scarcely  less  baneful  than  that  of  drink- 
ing intoxicating  liquors.     Several  marked  and  dis- 


IN    BOUGAINVILLE    STRAIT.  1 45 

agreeable  effects  result  from  the  practice.  A 
physician  temporarily  sojourning  in  the  Solomons 
resolved  to  test  upon  himself  the  effects  of  betel 
chewing.  He  relates  his  experience  somewhat  as 
follows :  I  was  once  tempted  to  chew  and  to  swallow 
a  betel-nut  in  order  to  realize  its  full  effect.  Very 
shortly  afterward  my  head  began  to  feel  heavy.  I 
had  an  inclination  to  lie  down,  and  my  eye-sight 
became  sensibly  dimmed.  In  about  twenty  min- 
utes all  these  effects  passed  away.  On  another  oc- 
casion I  tried  the  effect  upon  my  circulation  of 
merely  chewing  a  single  betel-nut.  Fiv^e  minutes 
afterward  I  found  my  pulse  increased  in  force,  and 
from  si.xty-two  to  ninety-two  beats  per  minute  in 
frequenc}'.  There  was  a  sensation  of  fullness  in 
the  head  and  temples,  but  no  perceptible  effect  on 
the  vision.  The  pulse  retained  its  frequency  about 
ten  minutes,  but  did  not  resume  its  normal  rate 
until  over  a  half  hour  from  the  beginning  of  the 
experiment.  Subsequently,  I  tried  the  effect  of 
chewing  two  betel-nuts.  The  fust  increased  the 
pulse  twenty  beats  per  minute,  producing  restless- 
ness and  fullness  of  the  head.  The  second  nut 
simply  sustained  the  rapidit)-  of  the  pulse,  but  my 
sight  was  sensibly  dimmed.  No  effect  was  pro- 
duced on  my  power  of  locomotion.  Upon  retiring 
for  the  night  soon  after  chewing  them,  I  experi- 
enced, during  the  first  hour,  vivid  dreams,  with 
rapid  change  of  the  scenes  and  persons  appearing 
in  them. 
\o 


146  TWO   CANNIIJAL   ARCHIPELAGOES. 

At  my  request,  several  of  the  crew  of  the  ship 
tried  the  effect  of  chewing  a  single  nut.  It  affected 
them  much  as  would  a  glass  of  spirit.  The  betel- 
nut,  I  find,  possesses  far  greater  stimulating  effect 
than  I  had  suspected.  A  single  nut  had  much  the 
same  effect  upon  me  as  would  a  glass  of  sherry. 
I  am  convinced  that  the  extent  of  the  intoxicating 
quality  of  the  nut  is  not  generally  known. 

Lime  and  betel-pepper  are  everywhere  accesso- 
ries to  betel  chewing.  "  Betel-pepper  imparts  to 
betel-juice  the  '  bite'  of  a  glass  of  spirit  and  water." 
The  natives  claim  that  the  pepper  sweetens  the 
breath.  The  piper-betel — betel-pepper — of  Bou- 
gainville Strait  is  grown  on  the  plantations  by  be- 
ing trailed  around  the  trunks  of  trees  and  the  stems 
of  bananas.  The  nuts  of  several  other  trees  grow- 
ing in  the  Solomons  furnish  a  very  good  substitute 
for  the  betel-nut,  the  effects  of  chewing  them  being 
very  similar.  One  of  these,  the  poamdu,  is  a  spe- 
cial favorite  with  the  women.  The  juice  of  the 
betel-nut  dyes  the  saliva  and  the  mouth  a  bright 
red.  The  same  color  may  be  produced  by  mixing 
lime  with  the  nut  in  rain  water. 

For  carrying  the  lime  used  in  betel-nut  chew- 
ing, the  natives  employ  a  tiny  gourd,  the  stoppers 
of  which  are  very  ingeniously  made  of  narrow 
bands  of  sago  palm  leaf.  They  are  wound  in  the 
form  of  a  disc,  and  are  held  firmly  flat  by  fine 
strips  of  the  strong  tissue  of  the  sinimi  fern.  Little 
implements  similar  to  the  Chinese  chop-stick  are 


IN   BOUGAINVILLE  STRAIT. 


147 


used  to  convey  the  lime  to  the  mouth.  Frequently, 
also,  the  fingers  are  employed  for  the  purpose,  and 
the  betel-nut  itself  sometimes  does  that  work.  On 
St.  Christoval  and  its  neighboring  islets  the  lime  is 
carried  in  pretty  bamboo  boxes,  with  decorations 
incised  upon  the  outside. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

ST.    CHRISTOVAL  AND  THE  TABOO-HOUSES  OF 
THE  SOLOMON   ARCHIPELAGO. 

ic^W  ^  hav^e  the  northwest  wind  in  our  favor,  and, 
f'^^^   the  reader  kindly  accompanying  u.s,  we  will 

"^^^  pay  a  brief  visit  to  St.  Christoval,  lying  sev- 
eral hundred  miles  to  the  southeast,  and  the  south- 
ernmost large  island  of  the  archipelago.  Here  w^e 
shall  be  interested  in  the  taboo-houses,  of  which  we 
have  heard  so  much.  St.  Christoval  was  one  of  the 
discoveries  of  Gallego,  the  chief  pilot  of  Mendana's 
fleet.  Of  course  he  took  "formal  possession  of  the 
country  in  the  name  of  his  majesty  the  king  of 
Spain,"  without  the  consent  of  the  original  owners 
of  the  soil,  and  without  presenting  them  an  equiv- 
alent for  their  possessions;  but  in  those  days  that 
was  the  Spanish  way  of  doing  things. 

Gallego  describes  St.  Christoval  as  one  hundred 
and  twenty  miles  long,  twenty-one  miles  wide, 
three  hundred  miles  in  circuit,  partly  mountainous 
and  well-peopled.  He  called  the  inhabitants  In- 
dians, and  said,  "  They  go- naked  and  eat  human 
flesh."  The  people  of  St.  Christoval  have  changed 
but  little  since  Gallego's  day.  The  native  name  of 
(  148  ) 


ST.  CHRISTOVAL  AND  THE  TABOO-HOUSES.         I49 

the  island  is  Paubro;  but  the  Spaniards  called  it 
after  one  of  their  numerous  saints.  The  beautiful 
island  is  divided  among  many  tribes,  each  having 
its  own  chief.  For  centuries  grievous  feuds  have 
prevailed  among  them.  A  wide  difference  exists 
between  the  people  of  the  coast  and  of  the  interior. 
As  in  Guadalcanar,  the  "bush  tribes"  build  their 
homes  on  the  crests  of  the  hills  and  of  the  mountain 
ridges.  This  is  done  for  greater  case  in  defending 
them.  The  \illage  of  Lawa,  for  instance,  near  the 
north  coast,  has  an  airy  outlook  fourteen  hundred 
feet  above  the  sea.  Treachery  and  cunning  are  the 
indispensable  weapons  of  warfare  on  St.  Christoval, 
especially  in  the  hands  of  the  chiefs.  No  hamlet  or 
tribe  is  sure  of  its  existence  for  any  length  of  time. 
The  inmates  of  any  home  may  at  any  time  furnish 
material  for  a  cannibal  feast  before  night. 

As  in  Bougainville  Strait,  there  are  chiefs  who 
have  acquired  considerable  supremac}',  and  tluir 
names  have  become  synonyms  for  fear  and  dread. 
Taki,  chief  at  the  village  of  Wano  in  1887,  was 
one  of  this  class.  He  gloried  in  the  reputation  of 
being  both  a  friend  to  the  white  man  and  the  most 
accomplished  head  hunter  on  St.  Christoval.  Wano, 
with  a  population  of  five  hundred,  has  for  some 
years  been  the  seat  of  a  Melanesian  Mission  station, 
super\ised  by  Bishop  Selwyn,  of  New  Zealand.  In 
1887,  the  resident  teacher  at  Wano  was  a  son  of 
the  chief,  Taki,  and  was  trained  for  the  position  at 
a  school  established — if  we  mistake  not — h\'  Bishop 


150       TWO  CANNIBAL  AKCHIPKLAGOES. 

Scl\v)'n  for  normal  training  on  Norfolk  Island. 
The  influence  of  the  young  man  is  said  to  have 
been  not  altogether  in  favor  of  Christianity.  Taki, 
not  a  Christian,  and,  through  his  iniquities,  an  ab- 
solute hindrance  to  the  mission,  was  yet  very  prout! 
of  his  connection  therewith.  It  must  be  added 
that  he  was  always  pleased  to  show  civilities  to 
white  men. 

Taki  has  been  known  to  sail  leisurely  along  the 
coast  in  his  war  canoe,  patiently  waiting  in  some 
covered  spot  until  an  unwary  and  hungry  man 
from  the  hill-tops  should  come  down  to  the  reefs 
to  fish.  Then  quickly  he  would  become  Taki's 
captixe,  and,  dead  or  alive,  would  be  borne  in  tri- 
umph to  Wano,  perhaps  to  become  a  slave,  perhaps 
to  furnish  a  head  for  the  taboo-house. 

The  inhabitants  of  St.  Christoval  are  shorter  and 
less  vigorous  than  are  those  of  Bougainville  Strait. 
Yet  the  people  of  Santa  Catalina,  off  the  southern 
coast  of  the  island,  are  said  to  excel  all  other  races 
of  the  archipelago  in  stature,  lightness  of  color,  and 
general  fineness  of  jih\siquc.  They  never  inter- 
marry with  the  tribes  around  them,  but  appear  to 
have  a  friendK''  alliance  with  a  certain  community 
on  the  coast  of  Malaita,  the  great  island  north  of 
them. 

In  the  taboo-houses — sacred  buildings — of  St. 
Christoval  we  find  structures  upon  which  has 
been  lavished  the  mechanical  skill  of  the  natives. 
Women  are  forbidden  to  enter  them.     At  the  vil- 


ST.  CUKISTOVAL  AND  THK  TABOO-IIOUSES.        I5I 

lagc  of  Sapuna,  island  of  Santa  Anna,  the  .sacred 
house  overlooks  the  shore.  Women  are  never 
permitted  to  cross  the  beach  in  front  of  it.  In  all 
the  coast  villages  the  chief  purpose  of  tliesc  struct- 
ures is  to  shelter  the  great  war  canoes.  Tlic  ob- 
long taboo-house  at  Sapuna,  however,  as  we  have 
mentioned  in  a  previous  chapter,  serves  as  a  mau- 
soleum for  the  preservation  of  the  skulls  of  ordinary 
men  who  have  died,  and  of  the  entire  bodies  of  de- 
ceased chiefs,  while  within  a  smaller  edifice  beside 
it  repose  the  wooden  sharks  containing  the  skulls 
of  departed  women. 

The  inland  sacred  houses  serve  manifold  pur- 
poses. For  the  Solomon  islander  generally,  the 
front  of  the  taboo-house  in  his  nati\e  village  is  a 
common  place  of  resort,  i)articularly  toward  the  close 
of  day.  There  he  hears  and  tells  the  news  of  his 
island  world,  discusses  the  l.ist  head-hunting  raitl, 
and  cultivates  his  social  tastes.  It  is  to  this  build- 
ing that  all  nati\e  strangers  direct  their  steps  upon 
entering  any  village.  Mere  they  state  their  errand, 
and  receive  whatever  attention  is  proper.  l^\en 
white  men  traversing  the  islands  may  avail  them- 
selves of  this  privilege,  and  never  meet  with  a  re- 
pulse. v\ll  men  are  free  to  seek  shelter  for  the 
night  in  an)'  of  these  buildings,  being  sure  of  lu>s- 
pitable  treatment.  It  is  an  l^nglishman  who  tells 
us:  "On  one  occasion,  when  passing  a  night  in  an 
inland  tt^wn  of  St.  Christoval.  I  slept  in  the  taboo- 
house — the  only  white  man  among  a  dozen  natives. 


152  TWO    CANNinAL    ARCHIPELAGOES. 

Bloodshed,  I  l)clic\e,  rarely  occurs  in  these  build- 
ings. For  that  reason  they  are  viewed  somewhat 
in  the  li:4ht  of  a  sanctuary." 

In  all  the  coast  villages  of  the  eastern  Solomons 
the  sacred  edifices  are  very  similar  in  size  and 
style.  The  fact  that  the  structures  must  be  long 
enough  to  admit  the  war  canoes  accounts  for  this 
harmony  in  their  relative  proportions.  Tiie  taboo- 
house  at  Wano — north  coast  of  St.  Christoval  — 
will  serve  as  a  tyjjc  for  all.  In  length  it  is  about 
si.xty  feet,  in  breadth  about  twenty-five.  The  very 
sloping  gable  roof  is  supported  by  five  lines  of 
posts,  four  in  each,  the  central  pillars  being  some 
fifteen  feet  in  height,  while  the  outer  side  supports 
are  perhaps  four  feet  high.  The  three  central  rows 
bear  the  chief  burden  of  upholding  the  roof. 

The  central  columns,  particularly,  are  grotesquely 
carved,  and  not  by  the  hand  of  an  amateur.  The 
lower  part  represents  the  body  of  a  shark,  head 
upward  and  mouth  open ;  the  upper  part  is  a  rude 
imitation  of  the  human  body.  In  one  instance, 
however,  a  man  is  seated  on  the  nose  of  a  shark, 
with  his  legs  dangling  in  the  creature's  mouth.  The 
artist  placed  a  hat  on  the  man's  head,  and  presumed 
to  let  the  crown  help  to  support  the  ridge-pole. 
In  another  instance,  the  poor  mortal  is  turned  head 
downward,  with  his  feet  braced  against  the  ridge- 
pole, while  his  head  and  breast  rest  submissively  in 
the  mouth   of  the  shark. 

Mutation  is   written  on  everything  vegetable  in 


ST.  CHRISTOVAL  AND  THE  T A nOO- HOUSES.        I  53 

these  islands,  as  elsewhere,  and  it  sometimes  happens 
that  a  taboo-house  passes  out  of  existence.  But 
lontj  after  it  has  disappeared,  these  grim  carvings 
abide  in  their  places,  forming  a  grotesque  adorn- 
ment to  the  village  landscape.  Taboo-houses  gener- 
ally, in  this  part  of  the  Solomons,  are  open  at  both 
ends,  with  a  staging  at  the  front,  elevated  some  four 
feet  from  the  ground.  The  "village  lounge"  would 
not  be  an  inappropriate  term  for  this  platform. 

The  little  island  of  Santa  Catalina — Orika — as  the 
natives  call  it,  contains  one  of  the  most  remarkable 
sacred  buildings  in  the  Solomon  group.  Its  dimen- 
sions are  the  same  as  those  already  given,  but  at 
each  end  large  posts  are  so  driven  into  the  ground 
as  to  form  a  circle  several  feet  in  diameter.  Into  this 
circular  space  a  variety  of  food  is  thrown  dail)',  to 
satiate  the  hunger  of  the  "  devil-god  "  who  presides 
over  the  place.  On  the  ridge-pole,  and  on  most  of 
the  supports  of  the  roof,  are  painted — instead  of 
carved — extravagant  representations  in  outline,  of 
sharks,  war  canoes,  fishing  parties,  natives  in  full 
fighting  costume,  and  the  "devil-god"  himself,  with 
a  body  long,  lank,  and  ending  in  a  tail.  The  cen- 
tral row  of  columns  is  much  defaced  by  chipping, 
which  was  done  in  token  of  mourning  for  a  chief 
of  Santa  Catalina,  who  was  recently  removed  by 
death.  But  the  most  remarkable  feature  of  the 
building  is  that  several  of  the  posts  are  carved  into 
the  figures  of  women.     Probably  no  other  taboo- 


154  TWO    CANNIBAL    ARCH  I  I'ELAGOES. 

house  of  the  archipelago  furnishes  a  similar  inno- 
vation. 

The  principal  sacred  house  in  the  village  of  Ete- 
Ete,  island  of  Ugi,  is  also  distinguished  for  its  dec- 
orations. Sharks,  with  mouth  agape,  and  human 
figures  holding  up  the  ridge-pole,  are  abundant. 
Here  red  and  black  bands,  straight,  wavy,  and 
chevron-shaped,  ornament  the  front  of  the  build- 
ing. The  shark  seems  to  inspire  dread  in  the 
heart  of  every  native  of  the  Solomon  isles.  Per- 
haps this  fact  has  led  to  its  extensive  deification 
in  the  group.  Before  undertaking  a  long  canoe 
journey,  offerings  of  food  are  always  placed  on  the 
rocks,  to  propitiate  these  fish.  There  have  been 
instances  when  a  man  whom  the  creature  has  at- 
tempted to  capture  has  happily  made  his  escape. 
But,  in  these  cases,  so  great  has  been  the  fear  of 
displeasing  this  divinit)'  of  the  sea,  that  the  man's 
friends  have  immediateh'  thrown  him  back  into  the 
waters,  to  be  devoured. 

The  islet  of  Santa  Catalina  was  described  by  the 
Spaniards  over  three  hundred  years  ago  as  "a  place 
of  many  palms,  many  coral  reefs,  and  well  peopled." 
The  appearance  of  the  island  has  not  changed  since 
that  day.  It  is  a  tiny  bit  of  land,  only  six  miles  in 
circumference.  Ui)on  their  arrival  the  Spaniards 
discharged  their  fire-arms,  at  the  sound  of  which 
the  natives  fled  from  their  \illage.  The  strangers 
then  landed,  and  visited  the  settlement,  where  they 


ST.  CHKISTOVAL  AND  THK  TABOO- HOUSES.        I  55 

"found  sonic  liogs  and  a  quantit\-  of  almonds  and 
plantains." 

Santa  Anna  is  a  little  pearl,  lying  at  the  south- 
eastern extremity  of  the  Solomons.  It  is  two  and 
a  half  miles  long,  and  contains  two  villages,  sepa- 
rated by  the  breadth  of  the  island.  The  occupants 
of  the  villages  intermarry  freely,  notwithstanding 
they  arc  often  at  war  with  each  other.  Santa 
Anna  lies  in  the  pathway  of  the  heaviest  rainfall, 
and,  during  the  prevalence  of  tiie  trade  winds,  has 
an  average  of  fifteen  rainy  days  per  month.  One 
of  the  attractions  of  Santa  Anna  is  a  fresh-water 
lake,  called  Wailava.  Crocodiles  have  pre-empted 
its  banks,  and  promptly  resent  any  invasion  of  their 
rights  by  man.  The  natives  bclie\e  that  any  m.m 
who  attempts  to  fish  in  the  lake  does  so  at  his 
peril.  It  f>llows  that  the  savage  creatures  are  not 
regarded  with  much  complacency  by  the  would-be 
fishers. 

In  18.S2  Mr.  Sproul,  an  American,  who  was  vis- 
iting the  island,  shot  one  of  the  monsters.  There- 
upon, great  was  the  rejoicing  among  the  people. 
A  present  of  fi\e  j'.uns  was  sent  Mr.  Sproul,  in  ac- 
knowledgment of  his  prowess.  Some  years  pre- 
viously an  agctl  nati\c  had  an  encounter  with  a 
crocodile  at  Wailava,  and  narrowly  escaped  with 
his  life,  having  one  leg  broken  in  the  struggle. 
He  was  confident  that  Mr.  Si)roul  had  killeii  that 
identical  reptile,  and  was  greatly  delighted  over  the 


156       TWO  CANNIBAL  ARCHIPELAGOES. 

event.  The  American  .skinned  his  captive,  and 
presented  the  body  to  the  villagers  for  a  feast. 
Bones  and  all  were  eaten  by  them  with  great  relish 
and  satisfaction. 

The  small  island  of  Ugi,  six  miles  from  Santa 
Anna,  and  eighteen  miles  in  circumference,  com- 
pletes the  number  of  tiny  attendants  upon  St.  Chris- 
toval.  It  is  a  pleasure  to  write  that  on  Ugi  canni- 
balism, once  very  prevalent,  is  reported  to  be  dying 
out.  Yet  there  remain  many  harmful  superstitions, 
which  only  the  gospel  of  Christ  can  uproot.  And 
this  remark  is  true  of  every  island  of  the  Solomon 
group.  There  is  not  a  field  in  all  the  south  seas  in 
greater  need  of  its  cleansing  and  elevating  work. 

The  Ugians  believe  that  the  souls  of  the  de- 
parted pass  into  the  flashing  fire-flies  which  flit  in 
and  out  among  the  trees  at  evening.  And  should 
one  of  these  insects  enter  a  dwelling,  which  is  never 
lighted  at  night,  the  inmates  would  instantly  pass 
out.  Ill-wishing  also  is  a  prevalent  and  harrowing 
superstition  of  the  Ugians.  Most  of  them  live  in 
constant  fear  of  illness,  and  of  dreaded  calamities, 
with  which  they  may  be  visited,  simply  because  some 
enemy  has  wished  that  it  might  be  so.  Those  who 
practice  incantations  among  them  are  a  sinister  set, 
and  arc  by  no  means  scrupulous  as  to  the  means 
they  employ  to  excite  terror  in  the  person  they 
have  resolved  to  annoy. 

Yam  planting  and  yam  harvest  in  Ugi  are  regu- 


ST.  CHRISTOVAL  AND  THE  TABOO-HOUSES.        I  5/ 

latcd  by  the  appearance  of  that  beautiful  star  cluster, 
the  Pleiades,  in  the  constellation  Taurus.  Indeed, 
the  Pleiades  exert  great  influence  throughout  the 
group.  On  Treasury  Island  their  return  at  the  end 
of  October  is  always  hailed  by  a  joyous  feast.  The 
Pleiades  and  Orion  are  the  only  star  groups  to 
which  names  have  been  given  by  the  people  of 
the  Solomon  Isles. .  Would  that  the  flashing  galax- 
ies of  the  skies  might  lead  the  minds  of  these 
iijlanders  from  the  beauties  and  glories  of  nature  to 
the  deeper,  better,  greater  beauty  and  glory  to  be 
found  in  nature's  God  and  the  religion  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 


dition-  'i!   til.-    I 
main-  '  >t  hfi-  t  hii 


The  Young  People's  Liibi^ary 

Is  the  peiieral  title  of  a  imiforin  series  of  elcvatinp, 
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FIJI  Ay D  SAMOA. 

Jottings  from  the  Pacific  No.  i,  is  a  graphic  and 
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JACK  THE  CO\QUEREIi;  oi\  Ovet^onnnii: Dmiciihios, 

And  other  stories.  These  are  not  light,  trashy,  improbable  tales,  but  they  present  some 
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ments instead  oi hindrances.    The  book  will  uot  only  interest  but  benefit  the  young. 

SAJONABOLA. 

The  life  of  this  great  preacher  of  Florence.  The  scene  of  the  book  is  of  course  that 
land  of  romance  and  song  and  heroism,  Italia,  where  the  Apostle  Paul  and  other  wit- 
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Jottings  from  the  Pacific  No.  2.  This  volume  is  for  the  Tonga  Islands  what  "Jottings 
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LETTERS  FROM  THE  HOLT  LAND. 

This  book  carries  us  from  the  newly  discovered  and  explored  Pacific  to  that  of  the 
oldest  of  all  lands  in  story  and  song— the  land  of  Palestine.  It  is  very  instructive,  illus. 
tratiiig  many  customs  and  practices,  peoples  and  things,  so  different  from  those  of  our 
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Jottings  /'roin  the  Pacific  Xo.  j. 

3.  JOHN   OF  WYCLIFFE. 

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Bv  Rkv.  Hknry  Rice. 

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